Nicolas Jackson’s late dismissal in Senegal’s final warm-up match sparked immediate fears over a potential tournament ban, and here’s the answer on the Chelsea man.
Nicolas Jackson’s discipline issues have followed him onto the international stage, after the forward was sent off during Senegal’s scoreless draw against Saudi Arabia. The most frustrating part is that his two yellow cards both came within two minutes of each other.
During his time at Chelsea, Jackson found himself in the referee’s book on a couple of occasions, most notably picking up costly red cards against Newcastle United and Brazilian side Flamengo in the FIFA Club World Cup, which drew public criticism from John Obi Mikel.
Seeking a fresh start, Jackson spent the season on a loan spell at Bayern Munich. While he helped the German giants secure the Bundesliga title, his discipline came into question once, culminating in a red card during a league match against FC Heidenheim.
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Nicolas Jackson takes advantage of FIFA loophole after World Cup warm-up red card
Nicolas Jackson will not be suspended for the World Cup.
Under Article 69 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, a red card received during an international friendly match carries an automatic one-match ban that is served in the country’s next friendly match, rather than carrying over into a major competitive tournament like the World Cup.
Because Jackson received two yellow cards (resulting in a red) against Saudi Arabia, his automatic suspension applies exclusively to Senegal’s next friendly fixture. Since World Cup group stage matches are official competitive fixtures, he remains fully eligible to play in Senegal’s tournament opener.
The only time a friendly red card threatens World Cup availability is if a player is sent off for extreme “violent conduct” (such as throwing a punch). In those rare cases, FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee can review the referee’s report and choose to extend the ban into the tournament.
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