Argentina risk sanctions for displaying banner with political significance
The national team of Argentina risks being sanctioned by FIFA after displaying a banner with political significance following their dramatic semifinal win over England.
Recall that after the game against England, midfielder Giovani Lo Celso entered the field of play with a banner with a sign reading, “The Falkland Islands are Argentinian.
FIFA had in the past banned banners mentioning the Falklands due to their political significance, with the International Football Association Board (IFAB) also having a clear stance on political flags, slogans and symbols being displayed.
“Equipment must not have any political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images. Players must not reveal undergarments that show political, religious, or personal slogans, statements, or images or advertising other than the manufacturer’s logo,” the IFAB rulebook states.
“For any offense the player and/or the team will be sanctioned by the competition organiser, the national football association, or FIFA.”
This comes after Argentina’s vice president, Victoria Villarruel, had whipped up tensions ahead of the semifinal showdown with England on Wednesday saying Lionel Messi and the rest of his teammates will be playing against ‘usurping pirates.’
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“Tomorrow we play against the usurping pirates,” she wrote.
“This isn’t just another match. I’m not going to be politically correct or cold-hearted; against the English, it’s always something more.
“It’s the Malvinas, it’s Diego, it’s Leo’s last one, and it’s putting the brakes on the invaders. Go Argentina! Because until our last breath, we’re going to claim what’s ours!”
The long-running sovereignty conflict between Argentina and England (the United Kingdom) over the Falkland Islands, which is based on conflicting historical claims and the right to self-determination, culminated in the 74-day Falkland Islands War in 1982.
The archipelago, which is situated in the South Atlantic Ocean about 300 miles off the coast of Argentina and 8,000 miles from Britain, is the subject of conflicting and overlapping claims.
