What is the white card in football? Meaning of the symbol explained after it’s issued for the first time

The first ever white card has been issued during a football match in Portugal.

The card was shown by referee Catarina Campos during a women’s cup match between Benfica and Sporting Lisbon on Saturday.

Here’s what the card means, and how it could be implemented in the game going forward.

What is a white card?

The white card is essentially the opposite of yellow and red cards – it is used to show recognition of fair play.

There are no material benefits to receiving a white card. They are used simply to encourage good sporting behaviour.

The initiative came from Portugal’s National Plan for Ethics in Sport and has been adopted by the Portuguese Football Federation. Portugal is currently the only country that uses white cards.

Why was the first white card shown?

The white card was shown to both Sporting and Benfica’s medical staff after a supporter fainted in the stands during the first half.

Medics rushed to assist the supporter, and they were clapped off by both sets of fans as they returned to the dugout.

The game finished 5-0, with Benfica progressing to the semi-finals of the competition.

The match also set a new attendance record for women’s football in Portugal, with 15,032 fans inside the Estadio da Luz.

Could the white card come to English football?

It remains to be seen whether the white card could be implemented beyond Portugal.

The International Football Association Board would have to discuss the matter before it could be brought to the wider game.

A similar concept has previously been used in Italy’s Serie B, but with green cards instead of white.

Green cards were also used during the 2018 Conifa World Cup – the international competition for countries that are not members of Fifa – but with a different meaning.

Green cards were used for fouls deemed to be in between yellow and red cards. A player receiving a green card had to leave the field of play immediately, but could be replaced by a substitute if a team had not already made all their changes.

from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/aLKXCIq