The saga regarding the Falkland Islands continues to rumble on.
Bridget Phillipson calls on FIFA to take action against Argentina
Argentina’s president has admitted his players will have no issue paying a fine if FIFA punish them for displaying a flag referencing the Falkland Islands. It came after Argentina defeated England in the semi-final of the World Cup, coming from 1-0 down to book their spot in Sunday’s final.
Anthony Gordon had given the Three Lions the lead in Atlanta, but a second-half retreat from England allowed Argentina back into the match. Enzo Fernandez levelled from range before just seven minutes later, Lautaro Martinez headed home Lionel Messi’s cross to give Argentina the win.
The banner was held up by several Argentina players (Image: Getty)
During the immediate post-match celebrations, some Argentina players were seen displaying a banner that read: “Las Malvinas son Argentina,” which translates to: “The Falklands are Argentine.” The UK government has since demanded that FIFA investigate the situation, as they believe it is a flagrant violation of their rules surrounding political signs and expressions.
However, controversial Argentine president Javier Milei has doubled down on the player’s behalf, saying: “The Malvinas are Argentine. What the players did is understandable; emotion got the better of them.
“They did it, and that will probably lead to a discussion of an economic sanction. It is perfectly valid and legitimate for the players to want to express themselves and do so.
“The things that happen on the field with the players are not part of diplomacy. In the worst-case scenario, Argentina will face a £20,000 economic sanction from FIFA. We are going to recover the Malvinas, and we will do so through diplomatic means, with intelligence in our actions.”
Argentine president Javier Milei has commented on the matter (Image: Getty)
It has sparked anger on the island, with a member of the Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly describing the incident as a “clear political statement regarding the sovereignty” of the islands. The Falkland Islands government have written to FIFA demanding disciplinary action be taken against the Argentine Football Association (AFA).
Commenting on the matter, Falkland Islands politician Jack Ford said: “Videos were also leaked following their Argentina vs Egypt fixture in which the Argentinian squad sang chants about the Falkland Islands in their locker rooms. We are disappointed, though regrettably not surprised, by this manner of action, as this is not the first such incident…
“The Falkland Islands are a diverse, self-governing, self-funding British Overseas Territory, and engage internationally in sport, science, and humanitarian work as such. In the 2013 referendum on our political status, 99.8 per cent of Falkland Islanders voted to remain a British Overseas Territory, on a turnout of approximately 92 per cent, in a vote independently monitored by international observers.”