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Argentina files complaint with FIFA after attack on field during Olympic opening match against Morocco

VaselineJuly 31, 2024

0 3 minutes read

Argentina files complaint with FIFA after attack on field during Olympic opening match against Morocco

The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has filed a formal complaint with FIFA’s disciplinary committee after fans stormed the pitch and objects were thrown at players during Argentina’s 2-1 defeat to Morocco in the opening match of the men’s Olympic football tournament.

After Cristian Medina scored the goal that would have equalized for Argentina in the 16th minute of injury time, fans rushed onto the pitch and threw items such as bottles and fireworks at the players during the celebrations, leading to the referee stopping the match, resulting in a delay of almost two hours.

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After the fans left the stadium, play resumed, but not before a VAR review showed that Medina had been offside when he headed in his goal. The goal was overturned and the teams played out the final three minutes, with Morocco holding on to win.

The AFA issued a statement on Thursday that said in part: “It is of paramount importance to guarantee the safety of the protagonists for the peaceful development of this beautiful sport that is football. From the home of Argentine football, we will do what is necessary to make this happen.”

SAINT-ETIENNE, FRANCE - JULY 24: Stewards remove a pitch robber from the field during the men's Group B match between Argentina and Morocco during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard on July 24, 2024 in Saint-Etienne, France. (Photo by Tullio M. Puglia/Getty Images) — SAINT-ETIENNE, FRANCE – JULY 24: Stewards remove a pitch robber from the field during the men’s Group B match between Argentina and Morocco during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard on July 24, 2024 in Saint-Etienne, France. (Photo by Tullio M. Puglia/Getty Images)

Argentina coach Javier Mascherano said after the match that it was “the biggest circus I’ve ever seen in my life”, adding that he wished the referee had allowed play to continue after the invasion of the pitch rather than causing a long delay.

“The race was suspended for safety reasons. When we had no news, we started to notice things,” Mascherano said. “We don’t like things like this to happen either. We don’t want to be favored or ridiculed. Now we have to turn the page and look for the two wins we need to qualify.

“What happened on the pitch was a scandal. We have to focus on ourselves. Of course it’s confusing, but now we have to look forward, this is over, it’s over. We have to focus on the two games. Keep the anger and use it in the next games.”

Claudio Tapia, president of the AFA, issued a statement saying that X confirmed Mascherano’s frustrations.

“It was deplorable what we had to experience today as Argentinians in Saint-Étienne,” Tapia wrote. “Waiting almost two hours in the locker room just to see our players go out again to warm up and continue playing in a match that should have been stopped by the referee after the storming of the pitch by Moroccan spectators and the violence suffered by the Argentinian delegation is truly senseless and contrary to the competition rules.

Furthermore, the opinions of the captains of both teams, who felt that the match should not have been resumed, were not listened to.

“On behalf of the Argentine Football Federation, we have already submitted the complaint to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee so that the necessary regulatory measures can be taken and those responsible can be sanctioned.”

Mascherano claims Argentine players were robbed during training

In an extra frustrating start for the Argentina men’s team, Mascherano has alleged that players’ equipment was stolen during a training session this week.

“Yesterday they broke into the building,” Mascherano said after the match against Morocco. “They stole things from (Thiago) Almada. They ask us for ID for everything, but then things like this happen. They stole Almada’s watches and rings.”

“We don’t like this kind of thing happening,” he added. “We’re not asking for favors, but we also don’t want to be treated like fools, which is exactly what happened today.”

According to the Associated Press news agency, the public prosecutor’s office in nearby Saint-Étienne reported that a complaint has been filed with police in Lyon.

Argentina close out Group B with matches against Iraq on Saturday and Ukraine on July 30.

VaselineJuly 31, 2024

0 3 minutes read