A&H

Red card for deliberately coughing at someone

Peter Grove

RefChat Addict
If this was already covered I apologise but I did a search on "coughing" and nothing showed up. Lots of papers today reporting new guidance issued by the FA in this regard, as follows:
Where the referee is certain that someone deliberately, and from close range, coughed into the face of an opponent or match official, the referee should take action under the law 12 'using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures."

"The action of moving the head/mouth towards someone and then coughing would fall within the 'spirit' and general definition of a gesture which is 'a movement of part of the body, especially a hand or the head, to express an idea or meaning'.

"If the incident was not severe enough to merit a sending-off, a caution could be issued for 'unsporting behaviour.'

"Spitting on the floor is not an act of misconduct, unless it is at someone when it is punishable with a red card, as per the laws of the game.
 
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