Welsh Conservative says post-match political display was “unacceptable” following England’s World Cup semi-final defeat
WELSH Conservative Senedd member Andrew RT Davies has called for FIFA to take action after Argentina players celebrated their World Cup victory over England by displaying a banner asserting the country’s claim to the Falkland Islands.
The banner, which read “Las Malvinas son Argentinas”, meaning “The Malvinas are Argentine”, was displayed on the pitch following Argentina’s dramatic 2-1 semi-final victory in Atlanta on Wednesday night.
Lisandro Martínez and Giovani Lo Celso were pictured holding the banner and waving towards Argentina supporters after their side scored twice in the closing minutes to overturn England’s 1-0 lead.
The result sent the defending champions into a second consecutive World Cup final, where they will face Spain in New Jersey on Sunday.
Mr Davies, the Conservative Senedd member for the Vale of Glamorgan and Bridgend, described the display as unacceptable and called on people across the United Kingdom to condemn it.
He also said football’s international governing body must investigate whether the Argentina Football Association or members of the national team had breached tournament rules.
FIFA’s stadium code of conduct prohibits banners, flags, clothing and other material considered political, offensive or discriminatory from being displayed inside World Cup venues.
FIFA had not publicly announced whether disciplinary proceedings would be opened at the time of publication. UK Business Secretary Peter Kyle has also called for the incident to be formally investigated.
The controversy has particular resonance in Wales because of the role of the Welsh Guards in the 1982 Falklands conflict.
Thirty-two Welsh Guardsmen were killed when Argentine aircraft attacked RFA Sir Galahad near Bluff Cove on June 8, 1982. The incident was one of the deadliest attacks suffered by British forces during the 74-day conflict and left many other servicemen seriously injured or burned.
In total, 255 British personnel and 649 Argentine military personnel were killed during the war.
The Falkland Islands are administered as a self-governing British Overseas Territory, although Argentina continues to claim sovereignty and refers to the islands as Las Malvinas.
In a referendum held in 2013, 99.8 per cent of participating islanders voted to retain their existing political status as a British Overseas Territory. The UK Government maintains that there can be no negotiations about sovereignty unless the islanders themselves request them.
Mr Davies said:
“The Falkland Islands are British and people from across Wales, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland must come together to condemn this unacceptable gesture.
“FIFA wrongly punishes our football teams for displaying poppies around Remembrance Day.
“If football’s governing body does not take robust action against Argentina, the double standard will stink.”
FIFA fined the football associations of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland following poppy displays during international matches around Armistice Day in 2016, after ruling that the commemorations breached regulations concerning political symbols.
