ZURICH (AP) — On Friday, FIFA started a disciplinary case against the Argentine Football Association for alleged offensive player behavior and rules violations at the World Cup final.
FIFA brought the case to court based on its rules about media and marketing. The case seems to be about players’ loud celebrations after the game on December 18 as they ran through the interview zone.
After a thrilling 3-3 tie at Qatar’s Lusail Stadium, Argentina beat France in a penalty shootout.
About three hours later, players led by captain Lionel Messi ran and sang through the official interview area, damaging thin walls and not stopping to talk to international broadcast and print media.
The disciplinary charges, which include “offensive behaviour and violations of the principles of fair play,” didn’t name Emiliano Martinez, who rudely waved the trophy he got for being the best goalkeeper at the World Cup around on the field after he won it.
FIFA did not say when the case against Argentina would be over.
In other cases, FIFA fined the federations of Serbia, Mexico, and Ecuador for actions by fans at the World Cup that were seen as discriminatory.
Serbia was fined 54,000 Swiss francs ($54,000) for offensive chants by its fans during a 3-2 loss to Switzerland, which had some players with ties to Kosovo who were ethnic Albanian, and for team misconduct because seven players were given yellow cards.
Mexico was fined 108,000 Swiss francs ($108,000) by FIFA for anti-gay chants at two games, and Ecuador was fined 20,000 Swiss francs ($21,600) for chants aimed at Chile at the first game against Qatar.
