WORLD super-star striker Lionel Messi faces the risk of missing Wednesday’s semifinal against Croatia if FIFA throws the book at him.
The match is expected to be played on Wednesday 3.00am (Singapore time) and FIFA gave no timetable for verdicts, which have typically not been published before a team’s next game at this World Cup.
It is learnt FIFA opened a disciplinary case against Argentina for its players’ actions following their ill-tempered World Cup quarterfinal match against the Netherlands. The football governing body cited “order and security at matches” in its disciplinary code for charging the Argentina football federation.
YELLOW CARDS
Messi is among a World Cup record 17 players or coaching staff members who were shown yellow cards during or after the game.
In his harsh post-match comments about Spanish referee Mateu Lahoz. Messi clearly knew that he could be punished if he criticised the official too much in public. Hence why he held back a little.
He reportedly said: “I don’t want to talk about referees because then they will sanction you, but we were scared before the game because we knew what was coming [with Mateu Lahoz].
“I can’t say what I think, but FIFA have to look at this.
Argentina substitutes and coaches encroached on the field as the game turned confrontational. This is during the late stages as the Dutch scored two late goals to force “extra time.”
NO APOLOGY FROM FIFA
Sometimes you wonder at the prolonged silence as FIFA doesn’t have to explain. They dont even have to apologise for the controversial decisions of the match-officials.
But the book is quickly thrown at players and officials who do so in public as performances of match-officials cannot be made public.
“It is a very sensitive matter when it involves the match-officials,” said award-winning Singapore coach Jita Singh. Singh, who is now in Qatar to watch the matches with his family. “Likewise if you look at court decisions, the authorities do the same unless a formal appeal is done.”
For the record, in 2017, Messi’s four-match international ban for insulting a match official is lifted by FIFA. This is after a successful appeal by the Argentinian Football Association. He was handed the suspension after he was caught verbally abusing an assistant referee during Argentina’s qualifier with Chile.
However, the FIFA Appeal Committee overturned the decision on appeal after concluding, “the evidence available was not sufficient to establish to the appropriate standard”.
Now let’s wait and see how FIFA deals with Messi. We’ll have to also see if he really misses the crucial semifinal match against Croatia.
* Suresh Nair is an award-winning sports journalist who is also a qualified international coach and international referee instructor.
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