Watch: The Strangest Yellow Card in Football Leagues
8/20/2025 9:22:00 AM
Ukrainian club "Sisters Odessa" player Iryna Maiborodina received a yellow card for speaking Russian to the referee during a match in the Ukrainian Premier League.
The incident occurred last Sunday during the third-round match against Kolos. In the 43rd minute, referee Anastasia Romanyuk stopped play due to Maiborodina delaying the restart. The player protested the decision and expressed her opinion in Russian, resulting in the yellow card.
The referee explained her decision to Sisters’ coach Denys Koltchin, stating that Russian is not allowed in Ukrainian Premier League matches. Romanyuk said, “I asked the player to speak Ukrainian. This is a Ukrainian league.”
The match ended with Sisters winning 2-1.
The incident occurred last Sunday during the third-round match against Kolos. In the 43rd minute, referee Anastasia Romanyuk stopped play due to Maiborodina delaying the restart. The player protested the decision and expressed her opinion in Russian, resulting in the yellow card.
The referee explained her decision to Sisters’ coach Denys Koltchin, stating that Russian is not allowed in Ukrainian Premier League matches. Romanyuk said, “I asked the player to speak Ukrainian. This is a Ukrainian league.”
The match ended with Sisters winning 2-1.