ZURICH (AP) — Argentina defender Nicolas Otamendi and Ecuador midfielder Moises Caicedo will not have to serve one-game bans at the World Cup despite being sent off in their teams’ last qualifying game, FIFA announced Friday.
The unprecedented decisions are part of an amnesty of most disciplinary sanctions stemming from World Cup qualifiers instigated by the FIFA Bureau — a panel consisting of FIFA President Gianni Infantino and the presidents of the six continental soccer bodies.
“Single yellow cards and pending one- or two-match suspensions … are not carried over to the final competition,” FIFA said in a statement, adding it wanted to ensure teams “can compete with their strongest possible squads on the biggest stage of men’s international football.”
It follows a previous unprecedented FIFA disciplinary ruling that ensured Cristiano Ronaldo will not miss any World Cup games despite a red card for using his elbow to strike an Ireland opponent in Portugal’s second-last qualifier in November.
The remaining two games of Ronaldo’s three-game ban were deferred for a probation period.
Otamendi and Caicedo both were shown red cards in Ecuador’s 1-0 win over Argentina in September. Otamendi got a direct red card for fouling an attacker running clear on goal and Caicedo got a second yellow card for a hard tackle.
Their mandatory one-game bans should now be served in another competition after the World Cup.
Argentina opens the defense of its World Cup title against Algeria on June 16 in Kansas City.
Ecuador starts against Ivory Coast on June 14 in Philadelphia.
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