Postponed Brazil-Argentina game crazy: Infantino
It has started investigation into the chaos, involving UK-based Argentina players
Fifa has opened an investigation into the postponement of Argentina's World Cup qualifier with Brazil with their president Gianni Infantino labelling the events "crazy", while Tottenham Hotspur were reported to be ready to take disciplinary action against their Argentinian players.
Brazilian health authorities intervened on the pitch yesterday morning (Singapore time), after accusing four Argentinian English Premier League players of violating the country's Covid-19 quarantine rules.
Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and Tottenham duo Cristian Romero and Giovani lo Celso were on Sao Paulo's Neo Quimica Arena pitch with Argentina when officials from Brazil's health regulator Anvisa walked on to the field and stopped the game around five minutes after kick-off.
Villa midfielder Emiliano Buendia had also travelled from the United Kingdom and was in the stands.
Anvisa said that Brazilian rules make clear that travellers who have been in the UK, South Africa or India during the previous 14 days are forbidden from entering, unless they are Brazilian citizens or have permanent residency.
Fifa said they have received reports from match officials and were gathering further information.
"The information will be analysed by the competent disciplinary bodies and a decision will be taken in due course," Fifa said in a statement.
Infantino, in a video address to the European Club Association's general assembly, said the situation was a reminder of the difficulties Fifa had been facing during the pandemic.
"We saw what happened with the game between Brazil and Argentina, two of South America's most glorious teams," Infantino said.
"Some officials, police, security officials entered the pitch after a few minutes of the game to take away some players - it is crazy but we need to deal with these challenges, these issues which come on top of the Covid crisis."
Alejandro Martinez, brother of Emiliano, said that the players were due to fly from Argentina to Croatia later yesterday in order to avoid the 10-day mandatory hotel quarantine on return to the UK from a red-list country.
"They will travel to Croatia to do their quarantine there and then go to England," Alejandro told radio station La Oral Deportiva. "That was the conditions set by Aston Villa."
The Tottenham players travelled to the game without the permission of their club and the website football.london said the pair could expect fines on their return to England.
In scenes of confusion on the pitch, Argentina captain Lionel Messi and his teammates left the field while Brazil's squad began a practice game.
After the game was abandoned, Messi criticised the Brazilian officials' intervention.
"We've been here for three days, why are you doing this just now?" he said on Argentina's TyC network.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni was similarly incensed, telling media that "at no time were we told that they could not play the game".
Argentina FA president Claudio Tapia said the AFA had followed Fifa protocols for the game, pushing back at the claim that players had falsified entry records.
"It is not possible to speak of any lie," said Tapia. - REUTERS, AFP
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