In what is being touted as a first, a referee in Portugal showed a ‘White Card’ during Benfica vs Sporting Lisbon match on Saturday. While fans have seen football referees flipping out yellow and red cautions at players, white is not a colour they are used to. Most would have no idea what a white caution would even mean.
The moment happened during the Portuguese women’s Cup quarter-final match with Benfica 3-0 up against Sporting. Then in the 44th minute, the referee showed the white card. The video of the bizarre incident went viral. WATCH:
The white card was shown by referee Catarina Campos to the medical staff of both the teams. The white card can be shown in Portugal to recognise and praise fair play moments, as per ESPN. This is quite contrary to the cautioning nature of red and yellow cards.
The medical staff of Benfica and Sporting had rushed and treated a fan who had fainted during the match. After the fan was looked after, the referee decided to acknowledge the moment and praise the medical staff with the white card. The crowd at the stadium also let out a loud cheer.
The white card initiative was started by the National Plan for Ethics in Sport (PNED) in Portugal. The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) has also embraced the initiative.
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