THE ARGENTINA Football Association (AFA) have made a formal complaint to FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee following the incidents during Wednesday’s 2-1 loss to Morocco in their opening match of the Olympics.
A pitch invasion by Moroccan fans after Argentina’s Cristian Medina had scored deep in stoppage time triggered a two-hour delay as the game in Saint-Étienne was eventually completed in an empty stadium.
Bottles, cups and firecrackers were thrown at Argentinian players during their goal celebration.
AFA said in a statement that it had lodged a complaint to FIFA demanding the “necessary regulatory measures be taken for an event of such seriousness.”
The statement added: “It is imperative to guarantee the safety of the protagonists for the peaceful development of this beautiful sport that is football and from the home of Argentine Football, we will do what is necessary to make this happen.”
Argentina’s team was left perplexed when, after play resumed almost two hours later, the referee ruled Medina’s equaliser for offside after review.
Argentina coach, Javier Mascherano, described the events as “the biggest circus I’ve ever seen in my life.”
Argentina senior captain, Lionel Messi, who is not part of the Olympic squad, posted on Instagram an emoticon of a face with wide open eyes and the word: “Unusual.”
AFA president, Claudio ‘Chiqui’ Tapia, has demanded for those responsible for the incidents to be punished.
“It was regrettable what we had to experience today as Argentinians in Saint-Étienne,” Tapia wrote on social media. “Waiting almost two hours in the locker room, only for our players to have to go back out to warm up and continue playing a match that should have been suspended by the referee after the pitch invasion by Moroccan spectators and the violence suffered by the Argentine delegation, is truly senseless and goes against the competition rules.
“Furthermore, the opinions of the captains of both teams, who believed the game should not have resumed, were not heard.
“From the Argentine Football Association, we have already submitted the complaint to FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee so that the relevant regulatory measures can be taken and a sanction imposed on those responsible.”
Argentina are back in action against Iraq in Saturday’s Group G game.
