History was made during a women’s cup match between Sporting Lisbon and Benfica in Portugal. Not only did a record-breaking crowd of 15,032 people attend, but for the very first time in a football match a white card was issued.
The card is used for ‘praising acts of fair play’ and was shown to the medical staff of both clubs who rushed into the stands to help a fan that had fainted. As the referee Catarina Campos showed the card to both teams, the fans packed into the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon cheered and applauded.
Benfica went on to win the game 5-0 to progress to the semi-finals, but could this moment of history be something we see more off, not just in the women’s game, but at the highest echelons of the men’s game?
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There’s two sides to the argument. Firstly, in this world of negativity, perhaps it is a nice gesture to celebrate the good in sport. Especially when it comes to fair play, which is, at the moment, ignored rather than heralded. We moan about VAR, question the morals of owners and watch on as Chelsea spend nearly £1 billion under their new owner - so how about a bit of refreshing positivity?
The one thing that perhaps should be associated with the white card is some sort of financial reward. If it truly is something to be heralded, it should be worth more than just good karma and sportsmanship. Attach some real value to it so that players and fans want to be shown the white card.
The other side of this debate is easier to argue, for sure. The white card feels like the most patronising gesture ever, especially when there is no reward to go with it. This weekend both sets of medical staff were shown it as they went to help a fainting fan in the crowd - but without wanting to sound like Roy Keane - “That’s their job!”
It would be far more concerning if they didn’t get up to help. Doing acts of human kindness isn’t about being heralded for them - it’s about being a decent person. Paolo di Canio famously caught the ball when Everton goalkeeper Paul Gerrard went down injured, leaving an open goal. That act of sporting behaviour was cheered but if the referee had then shown him a white card, Di Canio might have laughed in his face - or worse.
A white card feels like a gold star you give your children. ‘Well done for not being a p****’. It’s hard to see why any footballer or manager would want to be shown a white card, unless there are points associated with it - which would never happen. This is cynical, but it seems on the face of it like an utterly pointless gesture that serves nobody.
It is in the first stages of use and we will see how it develops, but at this current stage, it seems unlikely to be a hit. What next? A blue card for the fourth official for holding up the right amount of additional time?
*18+ | BeGambleAware
