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FIFA Waives One-Game Bans for Otamendi and Caicedo at World Cup After Being Sent Off in Qualifier
FIFA said the amnesty will let Argentina and Ecuador use both players at full strength after red cards in qualifying.
FIFA announced Friday that Argentina defender Nicolas Otamendi and Ecuador midfielder Moises Caicedo will not serve one-game bans at the World Cup, overturning their suspensions from qualifying matches.
The FIFA Bureau, a panel led by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, instigated an amnesty to ensure teams "can compete with their strongest possible squads," FIFA said.
Both players received red cards during Ecuador’s 1-0 win over Argentina in September, which previously triggered mandatory one-game suspensions for the pair.
Argentina opens its World Cup title defense against Algeria in Kansas City on June 16, while Ecuador faces Ivory Coast in Philadelphia on June 14.
Following a similar FIFA ruling that allowed Cristiano Ronaldo to play in the World Cup, these mandatory one-game bans are now deferred to other competitions.
FIFA decided with immediate effect that yellow cards and pending suspensions of one or two games, resulting from warnings of qualification, will not be transferred to the final stage.
Međunarodna fudbalska federacija (FIFA) is saopštila da argentinski defanzivac Nikolo Otamendi and ekvadorski vezista Mojzes Kajsedo neće morati da odsluže suspenzije od one utakmice on Svetskom prvenstvu, iako su bili isključeni u poslednjim kvalifikacionim mečevima svojih representacija.
ZURICH (AP) — Argentine defender Nicolás Otamendi and Ecuadorian midfielder Moisés Caicedo will not have to serve one-match suspensions at the World Cup despite being sent off in their teams' final qualifying matches…