Governing Bodies
Possible reprieve for Brazil as CONMEBOL declares tie with Argentina suspended over quartet falsification of COVID quarantine information
The South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) has suspended the FIFA World Cup Qualifying match between Brazil and Argentina in São Paulo after four players were accused of falsifying documents relating to their required COVID-19 quarantine.
Four Argentine players – Emi Buendía, Emi Martínez, Cristian Romero and Giovani Lo Celso – were accused of falsifying coronavirus documents after they arrived from Britain, a country which, according to current Government restrictions, requires a 14-day quarantine period.
The quartet is said to have claimed they have not passed through Britain in the last 14 days.
Brazilian health officials subsequently stormed onto the pitch at the Corinthians Arena minutes after the game began to detain the Premier League foursome, with the match then suspended.
“By decision of the match referee, the match organised by FIFA between Brazil and Argentina for the World Cup Qualifiers is suspended,” read the CONMEBOL statement.
“The referee and the match commissioner will submit a report to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee, which will determine the steps to be followed.
“These procedures strictly adhere to current regulations.
“The World Cup Qualifiers is a FIFA competition.
“All decisions concerning its organisation and development are the exclusive power of that institution.”
The pitch invasion sparked heated clashes from officials, coaches and players on both sides.
Argentina’s Lionel Messi was heard shouting at a health officer, “We’ve been here for three days, we were waiting to play the match, why didn’t you come earlier?”
As reported by the Daily Mirror, the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency said: “These players arrived in Brazil on a flight from Caracas.
“The flight landed in Guarulhos [Sao Paulo].
“They declared that they had not been in any of the four countries which are restricted for the past 14 days.
“Anvisa was warned about supposedly false information given by these players.
“After that, Anvisa sent a notification to CIEVS [in charge of Sao Paolo’s COVIDd-19 restrictions].
“We have to clarify that false information given to Brazilian authorities might be infractions of health laws of the country and might be an infraction of our criminal law.”
FIFA has weighed in on the situation, announcing disciplinary action is being discussed.
“FIFA regrets the scenes preceding the suspension of the match between Brazil and Argentina for the CONMEBOL qualifiers of the FIFA World Cup 2022 which prevented millions of fans from enjoying a match between two of the most important football nations in the world,” a statement read.
“The first match official reports have been sent to FIFA.
“This information will be analysed by the competent disciplinary bodies and a decision will be taken in due course.”
The CONMEBOL is yet to announce the date of the rescheduled match.
-insidethegames
FIFA’s independent Ethics Committee has banned former Guyana Football Federation (GFF) General Secretary Ian Alves from all football-related activities for five years after finding he sexually harassed female staff members.
FIFA also fined Alves 20,000 Swiss francs ($22,000) after determining that he had breached provisions of the FIFA Code of Ethics relating to the protection of physical and mental integrity, abuse of position and general duties.
“FIFA has a strict stance against all forms of abuse in football,” the organisation said on Monday.
The decision followed a review of written statements from the victims, documents provided by the GFF, submissions from Alves, and other evidence gathered during the investigation.
Alves stepped down from his position in 2024.
The ban came into force on Monday, when the terms of the decision were notified to Alves, and the full grounds for the ruling will be communicated within 60 days in accordance with the Code of Ethics, FIFA added.
The GFF did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Alves could not immediately be reached for comment.
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Thursday that he planned to seek re-election for a fourth term in a bid to continue to lead the governing body of world soccer.
Infantino confirmed he would run for the 2027–2031 term in the closing moments of the FIFA Congress in Vancouver, which comes less than two months before the start of the World Cup.
The election will be held on March 18 in Morocco, which is set to co-host the 2030 World Cup.
Infantino said he was “honoured and humbled” to have the chance to run for a fourth term.
The Italian-Swiss took office in 2016, replacing Sepp Blatter, and was re-elected unopposed in 2019 and 2023.
Infantino has pushed for the expansion of FIFA competitions during his tenure, with this year’s World Cup in North America the first to feature 48 teams, while the women’s tournament in 2023 has been expanded to 32 teams.
Infantino’s tenure has also drawn some criticism over issues such as high World Cup ticket prices and the decision to award the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize to U.S. President Donald Trump at the World Cup draw in December.
Earlier this month, the council of South American football’s governing body (CONMEBOL) said in a statement it would unanimously support the 56-year-old if he decided to seek another term.
-Reuters
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The supporters of Vancouver Whitecaps, a professional football (soccer) club in Canada, have staged a protest outside the FIFA Congress on Thursday, voicing fears that the Major League Soccer club could be relocated as uncertainty deepens over its ownership and long-term future.
The club is one of Canada’s most historic football institutions and has long been a central part of Vancouver’s sporting identity.
Around 100 fans gathered as delegates arrived for the annual FIFA meeting in Vancouver, chanting, singing and waving club flags in a show of solidarity. The demonstration comes just days after Vancouver Whitecaps FC revealed difficulties in securing a buyer willing to keep the club in the city.
The Whitecaps disclosed earlier this week that “stadium economics, venue access and revenue limitations” have complicated efforts to sell the club, despite a 16-month search for new ownership.
Season ticket holder Derek Hawksworth said supporters felt compelled to act amid growing fears of relocation.
“I wanted to come down given the threat of the team possibly moving,” he said. “It’s a rich history with the Whitecaps in North America… we want Vancouver to stay and not relocate. The history is here, and we want to continue with that history moving forward.”
The Vancouver Whitecaps are a professional football (soccer) club based in Vancouver, Canada. They currently compete in Major League Soccer (MLS), the top-tier league in the United States and Canada.
Concerns were heightened by reports that cities such as Las Vegas and Phoenix are leading contenders should the club relocate.
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim has urged intervention, calling on the provincial government — which owns BC Place — to negotiate a “bridge deal” that would allow the team to remain while plans for a new stadium are explored. The club’s current lease at BC Place expires at the end of the year.
Despite the off-field uncertainty, the Whitecaps have been one of the standout teams this MLS season. They currently sit second in the Western Conference with 24 points from nine matches, just three points behind the San Jose Earthquakes.
For supporters, however, performances on the pitch offer little comfort as the future of their club hangs in the balance — a situation they hope global football leaders gathering in Vancouver will not ignore.
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