Paraguay secured a 1-0 victory over Turkey in their World Cup group-stage match despite playing the entire second half with ten men, after Miguel Almirón was dismissed in first-half stoppage time for covering his mouth while speaking to opponent Mert Muldur. The red card was the first issued under FIFA’s newly introduced prohibition on concealing the mouth during on-field confrontations, a measure designed to combat discriminatory insults. Known in South American football circles as the ‘Prestianni Law’ — after a Champions League incident involving Vinícius Júnior and Gianluca Prestianni — the rule mandates a straight sending-off for any player who shields their lips from view in such exchanges.

During the live ABC Paraguay broadcast, commentator Jorge Vera reacted with a sustained tirade, repeatedly branding Salvadoran referee Iván Barton and FIFA officials “thieves”, accusing the governing body of having “killed football” and holding president Gianni Infantino personally responsible. He also directed criticism at CONMEBOL president Alejandro Domínguez. The outburst, which sources in Asunción say contained more than ten separate insults, was transmitted in full to the domestic audience.

Within 48 hours, FIFA revoked Vera’s accreditation for the remainder of the tournament, citing “repeated personal attacks and disparaging comments” against its officers. Vera promptly released a video apology acknowledging his “unacceptable expressions” and accepting full responsibility, while his employer removed him from coverage in compliance with FIFA directives. Yet the permanent nature of the ban drew sharp reactions. ABC described it as “extreme and manifestly disproportionate” for a first-time offence; the Paraguayan journalists’ union condemned it as “shameful censorship” and a grave precedent against press freedom, and the national circle of sports journalists called for a review. Viewed from Zurich, the sanction aligns with a broader tightening of media conduct at this World Cup: a French reporter was withdrawn after criticising a player’s decision to attend the birth of his child, and an Argentine broadcaster dismissed a presenter and team over a false report concerning Lionel Messi’s father.

Paraguay’s win, ground out despite the numerical disadvantage, keeps their knockout hopes alive in Group D. They face Australia on Thursday, where a single point would likely be enough to secure a place in the expanded round of 32. The Almirón dismissal, meanwhile, has thrust the new mouth-covering prohibition into the centre of tournament debate, with its enforcement certain to be scrutinised as the competition enters the decisive group-stage finale.