Football history was made on Saturday when a white card, which recognises fair play, was shown for the first time during a match in Portugal.
Red and yellow cards for fouls and misdemeanours have been an integral part of the sport for decades, but Portugal has introduced a white one as part of a series of new initiatives in the country.
Referee Catarina Campos brandished the card – shown to recognise and encourage fair play – during a women’s cup clash between Sporting Lisbon and Benfica in Lisbon at the weekend in a first for the game.
Shortly before half-time in the Taca de Portugal Feminina match – the Portuguese equivalent of the Women’s FA Cup – the official showed the card as she would have a red or yellow, and received a good reception from the crowd at the Estadio da Luz.
Someone on a bench in the dugout had fallen ill, with medical staff from both teams quickly going to their aid.
The referee took out the card and showed it to members of both sides’ medical teams, prompting a warm reception from fans.
The card can be shown to recognise and encourage fair play and is designed to ‘improve ethical value in the sport’.
Credit: dailymail.co.uk
