Argentine professional footballer, Emiliano Martinez, has been suspended for two matches by FIFA for unsportsmanlike conduct.
According to the Argentine Football Association (AFA), the 32-year-old player, who currently plays for Aston Villa, was also reprimanded for “breaking the rules of fair play” in two different incidents.
In one instance, Martinez was accused of breaching FIFA’s guidelines by displaying a replica of the Copa America trophy to his groin following a victory over Chile in a World Cup qualifier on September 5.
This behaviour is not unprecedented for Martinez, as he has previously been caught doing the same with the Golden Glove trophy after Argentina won the 2022 World Cup final on penalties against France.
Additionally, FIFA penalized Martinez for striking a TV cameraman with his gloves after their match against Colombia ended in a 2-1 loss on September 10.
Naija News reports that the Argentine Football Association has voiced its displeasure with the decision made by FIFA.
“It should be noted that the Argentine Football Association expresses its absolute disagreement with the decision taken by the FIFA disciplinary committee,” they said in a statement.
Due to the FIFA declaration, Martinez, a crucial player for Argentina, which clinched the Copa America in July and the 2021 tournament, will not participate in the World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela on October 10 and Bolivia on October 15.
It is worth noting that Argentina currently holds the lead in the South American qualifying rankings with 18 points after eight games. Colombia is trailing by just two points.
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