FIFA bans Messi for 4 games
Print Edition
LIONEL Messi has been banned from Argentina’s next four World Cup qualifiers, starting with yesterday’s game in Bolivia.
Messi was banned for “having directed insulting words at an assistant referee” during a home qualifier against Chile on Thursday, FIFA said hours before kickoff in La Paz. “This decision is in line with the FIFA Disciplinary Committee’s previous rulings in similar cases,” the world soccer body said.
Messi and the Argentine soccer federation can appeal against the ban to FIFA. Messi was also fined 10,000 Swiss francs (US$10,160).
FIFA intervened when the incident was not initially reported by the Brazilian referee after Argentina’s 1-0 win at Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires. It was judged a red card offense for Messi, who scored the only goal from a first-half penalty.
Television pictures showed Messi reacting angrily late in the game when the assistant flagged him for a foul. He waved his arms and shouted profane insults at the Brazilian official.
After the game, Messi refused to shake hands with the assistant who had annoyed him.
Messi will also miss Argentina’s game at Uruguay on August 31, and home games against Venezuela on September 5 and Peru on October 5.
Argentina is third in the South American standings with five games left. Four teams qualify directly to play in Russia.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
