Premier League players face punishment for mockery and ‘criticism’ in celebrations, warns chief officer

The Premier League is ready to take action over any goal celebrations that step across the line between “entertaining” and “mockery,” its chief football officer has said.

Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye was booked last month after appearing to mimic a seagull after scoring his side’s winner against Brighton while Myles Lewis-Skelly of Arsenal went unpunished on Sunday when he marked his first goal for the club with a meditation pose that is widely associated with Erling Haaland. Leicester’s veteran striker Jamie Vardy has been known to frequently wind up opposition supporters when he scores, howling to the moon when netting against Wolves and imitating an eagle in a match with Crystal Palace.

Global lawmakers IFAB have long established the boundaries for acceptable celebration, such as “provocative, derisory or inflammatory” actions as well as covering the head with a mask or removing one’s shirt. Those rules remain in place at the top level of the English game. 

“There’s a balance,” said the Premier League’s chief football officer Tony Scholes. “I think we all like to see celebrations. Some of the celebrations have been very funny, entertaining, but there’s a line. Once it crosses over into mockery or criticism then we would need to deal with it.”

Since the start of the 2020-21 season, 73 yellow cards have been distributed by Premier League referees for excessive celebration. Mohamed Salah, Raphinha and Alejandro Garnacho are the most frequently sanctioned with three to each of their names.