The International Football Association Board (IFAB) has issued a formal clarification confirming that the red card issued to Switzerland’s Breel Embolo during a World Cup quarter-final match against Argentina was an error. The ruling follows a review of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) protocol applied during the tournament.
The soccer rules panel stated that the VAR protocol regarding "mistaken identity" cases was not eligible for use during the World Cup. This procedural limitation meant that officials were unable to rectify the incorrect disciplinary action against Embolo at the time of the match. The clarification serves to address how VAR processes are applied in high-stakes international competition and highlights the specific constraints that governed the use of video review during the event.
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