The term "farm aura" has flooded social media in recent weeks, to the point of making its way into professional football with disciplinary consequences. Referee Fernando Espinoza, in the moments before the match between Defensa y Justicia and Belgrano in the Argentine League, joked with the captains during the initial draw: when flipping the coin to decide the kick-off and field, he jokingly proposed a "farm aura" battle to decide.
After the scene went viral worldwide, Espinoza was not appointed for the next match. The Argentine refereeing body issued an official statement announcing the sanction of the referee and demanding rigor from the rest of the referees: "All referees are informed that it is strictly forbidden to make any expression, comment, or statement unrelated to the draw ceremony, and this procedure must be carried out with the seriousness, formality, and professionalism it deserves".
Although many fans expressed surprise at the measure, arguing that it was just a joke, the punishment also responds to the breach of another mandatory protocol: the use of the regulation coin.
For that match, Espinoza used a customized coin with the shields of both clubs and promised to give it as a souvenir to the winning captain. The regulations stipulate that "an exceptional special coin may be used in final matches, provided that it has been previously authorized by the organization", a procedure that the referee completely overlooked.