FIFA has handed a two-game suspension to Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez for “offensive behavior,” the Argentine Football Association (AFA) announced on Saturday.
The Aston Villa shot-stopper was also found guilty of “violating principles of fair play” in two separate incidents during Argentina’s recent World Cup qualifiers.
The 32-year-old’s first violation occurred after Argentina’s 1-0 World Cup qualifier win over Chile on September 5.
Martinez was found to have breached FIFA’s code of conduct by holding a replica of the Copa America trophy to his groin in a celebratory gesture.
This wasn’t the first time Martinez engaged in such antics. During Argentina’s penalty shootout victory against France in the 2022 World Cup final, he similarly posed with the Golden Glove award in a controversial manner.
The second offense came after Argentina’s 2-1 loss to Colombia on September 10, when Martinez struck a TV cameraman’s equipment with his gloves in frustration.
In response to FIFA’s ruling, the AFA expressed strong disapproval, issuing a statement saying, “The Argentine Football Association expresses its absolute disagreement with the decision taken by the FIFA disciplinary committee.”
Martinez, who played a vital role in Argentina’s triumphs at the Copa America and the 2021 championship, will miss their upcoming World Cup qualifying matches against Venezuela on October 10 and Bolivia on October 15.
Despite the disciplinary setback, Argentina currently leads the South American World Cup qualifying standings with 18 points after eight games, just two points ahead of second-place Colombia.
AFP
