AFA protests to FIFA about the Argentina-Morocco match: “Regrettable, it was nonsense...”

The AFA filed a complaint to FIFA on Wednesday for what happened in the debut of the U-23 team at the Olympic Games in Paris, which ended in a 1-2 defeat against Morocco after a suspension of almost two hours.

“From the Argentine Football Association we have already submitted the complaint to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee so that the appropriate regulatory measures are taken and a sanction is imposed on whoever or whomever it may concern,” AFA president Claudio Tapia wrote on his social network account X.

This announcement follows a long list of complaints in Argentina - including from Lionel Messi - about the restart of the match and the disallowing of an agonizing goal for offside after an extended stoppage of play due to Moroccan fans invading the pitch and throwing bottles and at least one firecracker at the South American team while celebrating the 2-2 draw.

“Waiting almost two hours in the locker room so that, after the invasion of the field by Moroccan spectators and the violence suffered by the Argentine delegation, our players have to go back out to warm up and continue playing a match that should have been suspended by the main referee, is really nonsense. It goes against the rules of the competition,” said Tapia.

The executive described what happened as “regrettable”. “Added to that, the opinion of the captains of both national teams who understood that the game should not be resumed was also not listened to,” he added.

The AFA president's statement followed the protest of U23 coach Javier Mascherano, who referred to the episode at the Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium in Saint Etienne as “a circus.”

Controversies aside, Argentina will face Iraq and Ukraine in the next rounds of Group B of the soccer tournament at the Paris Olympics. 

 

July 24, 2024