FIFA President responds to the controversy between Brazil and Argentina: “It is unacceptable and harms football” – World Cup 2022

Today, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said that the 2022 World Cup qualifier between Brazil and Argentina, which was suspended due to the intervention of the Brazilian health authorities, must be decided on the field.

On September 5, in Sao Paulo, the match was suspended after five minutes, due to alleged violations of the covid-19 pandemic protocols.

“It’s always good to select matches on the field and not off it. [de supostamente fornecer informações falsas na chegada] It cannot happen, and the match cannot be interrupted in this way. “It is unacceptable and harms football,” the captain of the organization that oversees world football defended, at a press conference held today in Buenos Aires.

However, Infantino recalls that “it is not always possible, where there are rules”, so it is necessary to wait “to see what the disciplinary bodies of FIFA will decide”.

The National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa), accompanied by police, stormed the stadium of the match in São Paulo, claiming that four Argentine footballers had not adhered to the rules to combat the Covid-19 epidemic, after they had already been urged to stay in it. Quarantine in the hotel.

The eternal rivals from South America faced each other at the Arena Neo Química, in a qualifying match in the South American region for Mundial2022, which was interrupted when five minutes passed.

The event in a match between “the two most brilliant teams in South America” ​​was a moment of “madness”, but it was also an example of the “challenges posed by the Corona virus” for clubs, confederations and governments, Infantino, at the top.

Anvisa has accused four Albiceleste players, who play in England, of providing “false information” in their entry data in Brazil, by not disclosing their residence on British soil in the past 14 days, a fact that requires a quarantine period, because the country has been on Brazil’s red list in the fight against COVID-19.

The authorities targeted Giovanni Lo Celso and Christian Romero, coaches at Tottenham by Portuguese Nuno Espirito Santo, Emiliano Martinez and Emiliano Buendia, who play for Aston Villa.

Ultimately, the four players were placed in quarantine upon their arrival in Brazil, after they were also advised to “return to their country of origin”.

After some discussion, the Argentine national team left the pitch for the match, while the Brazilian players remained on the pitch for a training session.

The Argentines, protected by a mandate from the Confederation of South American Football (CONMEBOL), denied any inappropriate behaviour, and the interim president of the Brazilian Football Confederation, Edinaldo Rodriguez, considered Anfissa “exceeding the bounds of common sense” by boycotting the match.