FIFA president Gianni Infantino has claimed that players who cover their mouths during verbal altercations that are racist in nature should be shown a straight red card. The proposal comes after Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni allegedly subjected Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Junior to racial abuse. Infantino believes there should be a "presumption" of guilt, arguing that the act of hiding one's lips should be considered sufficient evidence of offensive intent. The flashpoint that triggered a FIFA response The catalyst for this potential rule change was an ugly incident during the first leg of the Champions League knockout play-off between Real Madrid and Benfica. Gianluca Prestianni allegedly directed a racial slur towards Vinicius Junior, but the exact language used remains a subject of intense debate because the Argentinian covered his mouth with his shirt. Shortly after the match, the Brazilian star issued a statement calling his abusers "cowards" for hiding behind their jerseys. Infantino pushes for 'presumption of guilt' Speaking to Sky News, the FIFA chief made his position clear on the matter: "If a player covers his mouth and says something, and this has a racist consequence, then he has to be sent off, obviously. There must be a presumption that he has said something he shouldn't have said, otherwise he wouldn't have had to cover his mouth. There are situations which we did not foresee. Of course, when you deal with a disciplinary case, you have to analyze the situation, you have to have evidence, but we cannot just be satisfied with that going forward." Infantino further justified his hardline stance by questioning the motives of anyone who obscures their speech on the pitch. "I simply do not understand if you don't have something to hide, you dont hide your mouth when you say something. That's it, as simple as that. And these are actions that we can take and we have to take in order to be serious about our fight against racism. We need to act and to be decisive and it has to have a deterrent effect. Maybe we should also think about not just punishing, but also somehow allowing, changing our culture, allowing players or whoever does something to apologise," he added, suggesting a path for redemption through remorse. IFAB announces consultation on mouth-covering habit The International Football Association Board (IFAB) has confirmed it is listening to the presidents concerns. Following their Annual General Meeting, the lawmakers announced a formal consultation on measures to tackle discrimination, specifically focusing on the mouth-covering habit that has become common among modern footballers. Any changes to the laws of the game would likely be ratified and implemented in time for the 2026 World Cup, marking a significant shift in how on-field dialogue is monitored by officials. Infantino remains adamant that football must lead the way in social change rather than using societal problems as an excuse for inaction. He added: "You can do things that you don't want to do in a moment of anger [and] apologise and then the sanction has to be different, to move one step further and maybe we should think about something like that as well. We have to stop racism. We cannot just be satisfied by saying 'well, it's a problem in society, so we cannot do anything about it except what we are already doing.'" Mourinho emphasizes the 'presumption of innocence' The allegations drew commentary from Benfica boss Jose Mourinho, who initially faced backlash for suggesting Vinicius had incited the crowd with his goal celebrations. During a recent press conference, Mourinho clarified his position, promising severe consequences toward Prestianni if the allegations are proven, while emphasizing the importance of due process. "I am not a lawyer, but I am not ignorant either. Is the presumption of innocence a human right or not?" Mourinho stated. "If the player is indeed guilty, I will never look at him the way I looked at him before, and with me, it's over. But I have to put many 'ifs' in front of it."

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Team USA women's ice hockey captain Hilary Knight not only won a gold medal in Milan Cortina, tallying three goals and three assists. She also did so on a torn MCL in her knee.The injury was revealed during an interview with "CBS Mornings" on Monday, mentioned by host Gayle King."Yeah, I got a little banged up," said Knight, 36. Im not walking around the best, and Im missing a few games for the Seattle Torrent now.""But to be able to play through injury was definitely a mental gymnastic challenge for myself and also physical," she added. "But we have some amazing support staff that did their best to get me out there and perform at my best.".@HilaryKnight played through the 2026 Olympic Games with a torn MCL and came out a gold medal-winner.Knight, who earned her fifth Olympic medal last month with the U.S. womens hockey team, shares what it feels like to realize her lifelong dream and recalls the response she pic.twitter.com/Z2Cw9WzHXv CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) March 2, 2026As Knight referenced, she plays for the Seattle Torrent of the PWHL. The team has already played 15 games in the 2025-26 season, compiling a 5-10 record. Knight was placed on long-term injured reserve by the Torrent upon her return from Milan Cortina, as were fellow Olympians Kendall Coye Schofield (USA) and Erin Ambrose (Canada).

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With spring training now in full swing in Arizona and Florida, local fans are soon going to have opportunities catch live baseball at ONEOK Field. The... - TL Tulsa Drillers