“Emiliano Martinez Suspended by FIFA for Offensive Behavior and Fair Play Violations
Argentina’s World Cup-winning goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez, has been suspended for two matches by FIFA due to “offensive behavior,” as confirmed by the Argentine Football Association (AFA) on Saturday.
The 32-year-old Aston Villa star, who played a pivotal role in Argentina’s recent international triumphs, was also found guilty of “violating principles of fair play” in two incidents.
The first violation took place after Argentina’s World Cup qualifier win against Chile on September 5, when Martinez was seen holding a replica Copa America trophy inappropriately. This isn’t the first time he’s attracted attention for such gestures; he previously made headlines by displaying the Golden Glove trophy similarly following Argentina’s dramatic World Cup final victory against France in 2022.
In another incident, Martinez faced sanctions for striking a TV cameraman’s equipment with his gloves after Argentina’s 2-1 loss to Colombia on September 10.
The AFA expressed its disappointment with the ruling, stating, “We absolutely disagree with the decision made by the FIFA disciplinary committee.”
As a result of this suspension, Martinez will miss Argentina’s upcoming World Cup qualifying matches against Venezuela on October 10 and Bolivia on October 15. Currently, Argentina leads the South American qualifying table with 18 points from eight matches, closely followed by Colombia, just two points behind.
Martinez’s absence will be a setback for Argentina, as he has been crucial to their recent successes, including their Copa America victories in both July and 2021.”
