25/04/2026
Em dia de Liberdade, que saibamos usá-la com responsabilidade.
Criticar faz parte — mas com respeito, equilíbrio e consciência.
Hoje, começamos por ser mais moderados nas críticas a todos os agentes desportivos.
Porque a verdadeira liberdade também se mede pela forma como tratamos os outros.
Players, substitutes and team officials must respect their opponents, match officials, spectators, and any other person attending the game. Referees are advised to deal strongly with public, inappropriate gestures, according to the exact circumstances. What gestures are punishable with a red or yellow card?
SENDING-OFF
A player, substitute or team official must be shown a red card for using offensive, insulting or abusive gesture(s), i.e. considered by the referee to be rude, hurtful, disrespectful.
CAUTION
There are different circumstances when gestures, which are not offensive, insulting or abusive, may require a yellow card to be shown:
1️⃣ dissent by action
Example: The referee awards a direct free kick for Team A and shows a card to a player of Team B. A coach of Team B does not agree with these decisions and claps sarcastically.
2️⃣ unsporting behaviour
Example: The goalkeeper saves a penalty kick and makes provocative/inflammatory gestures in front of the opponents’ fans, showing a clear lack of respect for the game.
3️⃣ excessively/persistently gesturing for a card
Example: The referee awards a free kick for a tactical foul committed to stop a counter-attack but does not show a card to the offender. A player of the attacking team angrily approaches the referee and clearly gestures for a card.
4️⃣ excessively showing the ‘TV signal’ for a VAR ‘review’
Example: A defender falls to the ground near the touchline after incidental contact with their opponent. A substitute, who was close to this situation, excessively uses the ‘TV’ signal as they believe the referee missed a serious incident (a potential red card offence).
IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER
The appropriate disciplinary sanction may be issued regardless of whether the gesture is:
➡ directed at an opponent, match official or any other person (a concrete spectator/the crowd, ball boy/girl, security or competition official, etc.)
➡ shown on or off the field of play
➡ used when the ball is in or out of play
The sanction for the gesture applies/remains, even if the initial decision is changed by the referee.
Examples:
➡ showing clear dissent by making gestures towards the referee who awarded a penalty kick and then decided to cancel it
➡ provocative gestures by the scorer towards the home team’s supporters after scoring a goal that was then disallowed for offside
In both cases, the card is not cancelled because such behaviour is unacceptable and harms the image of the game.
