ARGENTINA have been fined for displaying a Falkland Islands banner after the country's semi-final win over England.
The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has been fined $321,000 (£235k) in relation to the displaying of a banner at the end of the World Cup semi-final which read "Las Malvinas son Argentinas", which translates as "The Falkland Islands are Argentinian".
The fine also covered breaches by Argentina supporters of Fifa's anti-discrimination regulations at other World Cup matches.
For the discrimination offences, the AFA has been ordered to play the country’s next home match at 50% capacity, with a 50% capacity restriction at a further match suspended. Fifa said $100k of the fine was also suspended.
Political tensions linger between Argentina and Great Britain over the Falkland Islands, which boiled over into conflict in 1982.
Argentina has repeatedly claimed sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, which are about 8000 miles from Britain and 300 miles from mainland Argentina.
The banner was condemned by UK politicians at the time it was displayed, with LibDem leader Ed Davey calling for the players who held it up to be suspended.
UEFA had previously banned two Spain players – Rodri and Alvaro Morata – after they sang about Spain’s claims to Gibraltar after their Euro 2024 triumph.
UK Government Business Secretary Peter Kyle also described the banner as “entirely inappropriate”.
On August 6, the AFA announced that the date of the semi-final win over England – July 15 – would be commemorated as "National Football Teams Day" in the future.
Fifa's decision to fine Argentina rather than take any stronger action is in contrast to the threat of sporting sanctions – starting with a yellow card – Fifa made if England captain Harry Kane wore a rainbow-coloured ‘OneLove’ armband at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, a country where homosexuality is criminalised.
The AFA said the portion of the $321k fine related to the display of the banner was $10k (£7300), with a further $20k (£14,700) for the inappropriate conduct of supporters.
The federation said its legal department would “request from Fifa the grounds for the rulings that are reviewable in order to file appeals before the Appeals Committee of the governing body of world football, leaving in the future the possibility of appealing to the CAS as a last resort” in relation to all the sanctions imposed.
Three Argentina players have also been banned for their part in a brawl at the end of last month's World Cup final against Spain.
Midfielder Leandro Paredes has been hit hardest and given a 10-match ban and a $90k fine by Fifa's disciplinary committee, while defender Nahuel Molina was given a seven-match suspension and fined the same amount.
Thiago Almada was given a one-match ban and a $30k (£22k) fine, while Argentina coach Roberto Ayala was banned for three matches and fined the same amount.
Spain’s Gavi has also been given a one-match ban and a $30k fine.
