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

ZURICH: (May 8) Argentina defender Nicolas Otamendi and Ecuador midfielder Moises Caicedo will not have to serve one-game bans at the World Cup despite being sent off in their teams’ last qualifying game, FIFA announced Friday.

The unprecedented decisions are part of an amnesty of most 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.”