FIFA penalises spitting and related actions in football

In an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has issued guidelines relative to penalties that spitting and other related offences would attract if done during play.
This has been done in response to organisers who “have issued protocols recommending that players refrain from spitting and similar actions, such as nose-clearing, during matches.”
In a correspondence dated May 27, FIFA has advised the following: “Spitting at someone is a sending-off (red card) offence under the Laws of the Game. However, where spitting does not fall into this category, it would be impractical to make it a yellow-card (YC) offence; because it is impossible for match officials to detect every incident, as spitting can occur anywhere on the pitch, at any time, and often away from play (eg: as players move to take up a position before the next sequence of play).
“Consequently, treating ‘general’ spitting and other such actions as a YC offence during matches would lead to inconsistency and unfairness”, FIFA has said.
However, the body has noted that “where a competition wishes to enforce protocols regarding spitting (and related actions), any disciplinary decision should be taken by the relevant competition organiser or member association after the match.”