FIFA waives one-game bans for Otamendi and Caicedo at World Cup after being sent off in qualifier

GENEVA (AP) — Argentina defender Nicolás Otamendi and Ecuador midfielder Moisés Caicedo will not have to serve one-game bans at the World Cup despite being sent off in their last qualifying games.

The unprecedented decisions on Friday are part of an amnesty of all but the most severe disciplinary sanctions stemming from World Cup qualifiers instigated by the FIFA Bureau — a panel consisting of FIFA President Gianni Infantino and the presidents of the six continental soccer bodies.

“Single yellow cards and pending one- or two-match suspensions . . . are not carried over to the final competition,” FIFA said in a statement, adding it wanted to ensure teams “can compete with their strongest possible squads on the biggest stage of men’s international football.”

It follows a previous unprecedented FIFA disciplinary ruling that ensured Cristiano Ronaldo will not miss any World Cup games despite a red card for using his elbow to strike an Ireland opponent in Portugal’s second-to-last qualifier in November.

The remaining two games of Ronaldo’s three-game ban were deferred for a one-year probation period.

Otamendi and Caicedo both were shown red cards in Ecuador’s 1-0 win over Argentina in September. Otamendi got a direct red card for fouling an attacker running clear on goal and Caicedo got a second yellow card for a hard tackle.

Their mandatory one-game bans should now be served in another competition after the World Cup.

Argentina opens the defense of its World Cup title against Algeria on June 16 in Kansas City.

If selected, the 38-year-old Otamendi likely will be playing at his fourth and last World Cup. The Benfica center back also went to the tournaments in 2010, 2018 and 2022 when he played every minute of all seven Argentina games in Qatar.

Ecuador starts against Ivory Coast on June 14 in Philadelphia.

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The 24-year-old Chelsea midfielder Caicedo also played in Qatar four years ago.

The FIFA decision on Friday also benefits Qatar defender Tarek Salman, who was sent off against United Arab Emirates in October. FIFA disciplinary judges imposed a two-game ban.

The 28-year-old Salman, who was on the host nation’s squad in 2022, was cleared to open Qatar’s World Cup campaign against Switzerland on June 13 at the San Francisco 49ers’ stadium.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup