Argentina Fume as Morocco Fans Invade Pitch, FIFA Called in
The Argentina Football Association (AFA) has lodged a formal complaint with FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee after a chaotic scene unfolded during their 2-1 loss to Morocco in the Olympics.
The match was delayed for two hours after Moroccan fans invaded the pitch, throwing bottles, cups, and firecrackers at Argentine players. The game was eventually completed in an empty stadium, with Argentina’s Cristian Medina’s goal being ruled offside after a lengthy review.
AFA President Claudio ‘Chiqui’ Tapia has demanded that those responsible for the incidents be punished, calling the events "regrettable" and "senseless". Tapia also expressed frustration that the referee did not suspend the game after the pitch invasion, and that the opinions of the captains of both teams were not heard.
Argentina coach Javier Mascherano described the scene as "the biggest circus I’ve ever seen in my life", while Lionel Messi, who is not part of the Olympic squad, posted an emoticon of a face with wide open eyes on Instagram, captioning it "Unusual".
The Paris Olympics organizers have promised to boost security at the Games, with an additional 5,000 security staff being deployed for upcoming matches. The organizers also emphasized that the incident did not pose a major security risk, but acknowledged that lessons would be learned.
Argentina will look to bounce back from the disappointing loss when they face Iraq in Saturday’s Group G game. The AFA has vowed to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of their players and staff, and to hold those responsible for the incidents accountable.
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