FIFA fines CBF R$400,000 for fight in a game between Brazil and Argentina – 01/10/2024 – Sports

FIFA (International Football Federation) imposed a fine of approximately R$400,000 (70,000 Swiss francs) on the CBF (Brazilian Football Confederation) for the fight between fans that preceded the match between Brazil and Argentina in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. , at the Maracanã stadium, in November.

According to FIFA, the fine was imposed for “failure to ensure that law and order were maintained in and around the stadium.”

According to the FIFA Code of Discipline, the punishments provided, depending on the severity, include a warning, a fine and matches without an audience or in a neutral venue. In more serious cases, points may be deducted or excluded from the tournament.

The fight in the stadium’s stands delayed the start of the match by almost half an hour, which ended with Argentina winning 1-0. The scenes of violence were seen since the teams lined up for the playing of the national anthems in Rio de Janeiro .

The confusion was recorded in the south sector of the stadium, behind one of the goals, where there were Brazilians and Argentines. There was conflict between fans, with the intervention of military police and security agents working at the Rio arena.

The Argentine athletes, who were beginning to organize themselves for a posed photo, noticed the movement and headed towards the location of the confrontation. Marquinhos, Brazil’s captain, made gestures in an attempt to calm the situation, which did not happen immediately. Security guards used their batons as seats ripped from the stands were thrown.

Then, star Lionel Messi, who was preparing for his likely last match as a professional athlete on Brazilian soil, called to his teammates: “Let’s go.” They went to the locker room, and the match was in doubt. After around 20 minutes, however, with the fight apparently under control, the referee team announced that the ball would roll.

The Argentine players returned to the field for further warm-up work, and the opening whistle was blown at 9:58 pm, 28 minutes after the initial schedule. When the game finally started, eight people had been detained, including Brazilians and Argentines, and two had been taken to the Maracanã medical center.

In a statement released the day after the match, the CBF stated that all planning for the game was discussed and approved by Rio de Janeiro’s security bodies.

“The action and security plans were approved without any reservations or recommendations by the authorities present,” wrote the CBF.