A Paraguayan commentator has had his World Cup accreditation stripped after an extraordinary on-air meltdown following Miguel Almiron’s red card, during which he launched a scathing attack on both the referee and FIFA.
Paraguay claimed a 1-0 victory over Turkey in their second World Cup group stage fixture, but Almiron made unwanted history by becoming the first player ever to receive his marching orders for covering his mouth during a confrontation. The rule was introduced to stop players concealing racist, discriminatory, or abusive language.
Almiron broke his silence following the win, paying tribute to his teammates and the Paraguayan federation, while commentator Jorge Vera found himself facing disciplinary proceedings from FIFA. His incendiary on-air tirade resulted in his press credentials being withdrawn for the remainder of the tournament.
JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! Latest news, analysis and much more on Mirror Football’s Facebook page
With Almiron having been dismissed during such a pivotal encounter, Vera rounded on Salvadoran referee Ivan Barton, branding him a thief, before turning his fury on FIFA President Gianni Infantino. “Thief, thief, Barton. They killed football. FIFA, you killed football,” Vera raged on air. “Infantino, you’re responsible for this.”
The commentator pressed on, declaring, “FIFA, take responsibility for turning football into this. A disgrace. You should be ashamed, Infantino.”.
Yet Vera wasn’t finished, setting his sights on CONMEBOL president Alejandro Domínguez. “Alejandro Domínguez, less photos with Infantino. Grow a pair. You f—— thieves!”
Vera then challenged FIFA’s new ruling, coming to Almiron’s defence in the process. “What kind of racism could Miguel Almiron possibly use against the Turkish player? Show me some common sense,” he said.
View 2 ImagesThe extraordinary live outburst has cost Vera his accreditation for the rest of the tournament, a savage blow, particularly given that Paraguay managed to secure a 1-0 victory and keep their knockout stage hopes alive.
However, Paraguayan broadcaster ABC Cardinal, which Vera represents, has released a comprehensive statement urging FIFA to think again. ABC Cardinal contends that, as it was a one-off incident followed by an immediate apology and acknowledgement of wrongdoing, FIFA ought to show greater leniency.
Amongst the eight-point statement, it wrote, “We believe that the permanent cancellation of a credential for the entire duration of the tournament constitutes an extreme and manifestly disproportionate sanction for a primary infraction that was immediately acknowledged, for which formal apologies and concrete mechanisms for redress were offered.
“The apologies were presented, the error was admitted, and corrective measures were immediately implemented… Correcting errors is necessary. So is ensuring that sanctions are reasonable, proportionate, and compatible with basic principles of justice.”
The statement continued: “No sanction should disregard a professional career based on an isolated incident that has been acknowledged and rectified. We trust that FIFA will review its decision and allow proportionality and dialogue to lead us to justice.”
Get the latest World Cup news straight to your inbox by signing up to our Make Football Great Again newsletter now!
Following the revocation of his credentials, Vera took to social media to post a video in which he apologised for losing his composure and expressed remorse over his personal attacks on the referee and FIFA. Vera said, via a translation: “To the public opinion.
“During the live transmission of the Paraguay-Turkey match, in the heat of the moment and the tension of the broadcast, I made comments that exceeded the limits.
“I used strong expressions and personal attacks against the referee and FIFA officials, which I deeply regret. I recognize that I went too far with my words. I have already sent a formal note of rectification and apologies directly to the FIFA accreditation team, acknowledging the verbal excess caused by the pressure of the live broadcast.
Article continues below
“I want to apologize publicly to FIFA, to the refereeing team, to my colleagues, and especially to the audience for any offense my words may have caused. It was never my intention to attack anyone personally. I got carried away in the emotion of the moment. I take full responsibility for my mistake. Thank you.”
Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV packageThis article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
£44SkyGet the deal here
Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.
Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.