FIFA denies urging referees to withhold yellow cards

Rio de Janeiro, July 8 (IANS/EFE) FIFA has denied any agreement with the referees to withhold yellow cards in the World Cup.

German newspaper Bild Monday reported that FIFA urged referees to refrain from showing too many yellow cards in the tournament. The daily added that there are covert orders from FIFA to match referees to punish players for clashes which result in injuries like Neymar suffered, reports Efe.

"The story that there is a secret plan from FIFA telling the referees not to sanction yellow or red cards in order to have more entertainment or television shares... in other words that FIFA is risking and tolerating that players like Neymar and others are injured. This is just unacceptable," said FIFA's chief spokesman Walter de Gregorio.

--IANS/EFE

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