Berlin, July 8: FIFA has urged referees to refrain from showing too many yellow cards in the World Cup in Brazil.

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According to German newspaper Bild, there were covert orders from FIFA to match referees to punish players for clashes which result in injuries like the one Brazilian star Neymar suffered. FIFA refereeing development head Massimo Busacca is thought to have given the orders, reports Efe.

The newspaper said that these orders resulted in the inability of some referees to control games such as the Brazil and Colombia quarterfinal in which 54 fouls were committed and only four yellow cards shown.

IANS