By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Photo Credit: FIFA.
FIFA has instituted the disciplinary proceedings against several players after the FIFA world cup final in New Jersey where Spain beat Argentina 1-0 after extra-time.
A brief brawl erupted after the final whistle when Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes shoved Spain’s Gavi to the ground as the European champions’ substitutes rushed onto the pitch to celebrate.
Paredes faces three assault counts while Nahuel Molina faces two counts. Molina, Thiago Almada and Argentine official Roberto Ayala as well as Spain’s Gavi face one count each for unsporting behaviour.
“In accordance with the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the respondents have now been provided with the opportunity to present their position, following which a decision will be issued by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee in due course,” FIFA said.
Under Fifa’s disciplinary code, players and officials face at least a one-match suspension for unsportsmanlike conduct and at least three matches for assault.
The Argentinian Football Association is also facing disciplinary proceedings for potential breaches across multiple matches, including using a sports event for demonstrations of a non-sporting nature (article 13), team misconduct (article 14), discrimination and racist abuse (article 15), and breaching order and security at matches (article 17).
The latter relates to discriminatory chants and gestures, late kick-offs, the team and spectators displaying inappropriate messages, and spectators throwing objects.
Argentina’s players celebrated their semi-final win over England with a banner in support of their country’s claim to the Falkland Islands. It read “Las Malvinas son Argentinas”, which translates as “The Falklands are Argentine”.
Meanwhile FIFA announced plans this week to create the subsidiary to run the World Cup and its other events, and said it will offer stakes of up to 20% in it to external investors. The move provoked a furious response from some of soccer’s regional confederations.
“It’s part of a democratic process – a consultation process – and, above all, it is an opportunity but not an obligation, and, as I said, it kicks off the consultation process,” FIFA president Gianno Infantino said in a video provided by FIFA on Wednesday.
His predecessor Sepp Blatter slammed the governing body, saying “Football belongs to no individual and to no institution. It belongs to the people.
“If FIFA were transferred into a profit-oriented corporate structure, it would lose its soul,” he added while speaking to Reuters, noting he would never have considered such a move when he was in charge.