Why was Israel player Abu Farchi given a red card vs Austria in the UEFA Nations League?

Saied Abu Farchi celebrates scoring his team's first goal with a gun-firing gesture during the Nations League match against Austria.. | Photo Credit: AFP

Israel forward Saied Abu Farchi was sent off for celebrating his ​goal against Austria in its 1-3 defeat in the UEFA Nations League on Thursday by using the corner flag to ​simulate a gun.

Abu Farchi headed ​home in the 55th minute to ⁠bring Israel level after Austria had ​taken the lead through a Romano ​Schmid penalty before half-time at the Raiffeisen Arena in Linz.

Austria regained the lead in the 90th ​minute through Phillipp Mwene, who ​netted ⁠following a cross from Paul Wanner. Sasa Kalajdzic added a third in ⁠stoppage ​time with a ​close-range finish.

Why was Israel player Abu Farchi given a red card?

⁠Abu Farchi, after scoring the goal, ran to the ​corner flag, grabbed it and made ​a gun-firing gesture during his celebration.

However, the 20-year-old did not get a straight red card for the celebration. Instead, it was his second booking of the match, having picked up a yellow card four minutes prior.

The reason for the second booking is yet to be made official by the referee, but there can be multiple possibilities for the decision. Firstly, the booking can be a consequence of time wasting while celebrations.

A similar instance had happened in the AFC Asian Cup 2023 when Iraq’s forward Aymein Hussein got a second yellow for excessive celebration in their round of 16 match against Jordan. Iraq went on to lose the match 2-3 after Aymein’s eviction.

The second reason could be insults and abuse through celebration.

The International Football Association Board (IFAB), which makes the laws of football, mentions the following in its Rule 12: “Any language and/or actions that are offensive, discriminatory, insulting or abusive, which must be dealt with strongly by the referee. . .This applies for offences committed against any person in a match, including outside agents.”

Israel’s assault on Gaza has been described as genocide by UN experts and rights organisations, an allegation Israel rejects. And Abhu Farchi’s celebration may have been considered offensive and a violation of Rule 12 of the IFAB, thereby prompting a booking from the refere.

Similar instances have happened before. In 2013, Croatian defender Josip Simunic grabbed a microphone after a World Cup playoff match and led the crowd in a pro-Nazi fascist salute chant. He was suspended for 10 matches by FIFA, ruling him out of the 2014 World Cup.