The FIFA Disciplinary Committee announced today (14) that the Brazil-Argentina match, which Anvisa suspended on September 5, will take place at a date that has not yet been announced. The council also decided to fine both the Brazilian Football Confederation and the Asian Football Confederation, and to suspend the four Argentine players who failed to comply with the mandatory quarantine.
In the decision published today, the FIFA Board of Directors concluded that “the suspension of the match was due to a series of failures in the responsibilities and/or obligations of the relevant parties relating to the relevant game” and therefore imposed a fine on both associations. The four Argentine players involved were arrested.
The Brazilian Confederation was fined by the commission 500,000 Swiss francs (about 2.8 million Brazilian reais) for “violations related to order and security”, after ordering the Brazilian team for the whole match. The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has been fined 200,000 Swiss francs (1.1 million Brazilian reais) for “failing to fulfill its obligations” in preparing for and participating in the match. The two associations received an additional fine of 50,000 Swiss francs each for simply suspending the match. The total fines exceeded R$4.5 million.
according to UOL Esporte Found, CBF intends to appeal the fines. In an official memo issued on Monday evening, the entity said it did not agree with the disciplinary committee and had asked FIFA for the reasons for the decision. The Canada Border Commission says that “(…) after analysis by the Legal Department and the Presidency, it will inform the measures to be adopted after the operation.”
The AFC president announced on social media that he intends to do the same. “I pledge to make all necessary efforts and to appeal the decision of FIFA, in reference to the qualifying match with Brazil,” wrote Cheki Tapia.
Striker Emiliano Buendia, goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, midfielder Giovanni Lo Celso and defender Cristian Romero, and the two players involved, have been suspended from the last two World Cup qualifiers. The penalty doesn’t mean much in practice, after all, Argentina did qualify for this year’s World Cup – they won the place in a match against Brazil, with three of these athletes on the field.
Finally, the committee determined that the match “must be played again” by Brazil and Argentina, at a date and time to be determined. The five minutes played at the Neo Química Arena in September will be ignored.
At the time of the match, Brazil and Argentina played for a few minutes at the Neo Química Arena, until an Anvisa representative entered the field and interrupted the correct match for this year’s World Cup qualifiers. Five Argentine players have not carried out the mandatory quarantine for those arriving in Brazil via the UK, moreover, the documents they submitted to Anvisa upon entering the country contain lies.
* With a report by Igor Sequera and Jamil Schade, from the University of Aoule, in Rio de Janeiro and Geneva (Switzerland)
