The Falkland Islands government has written to FIFA to express its “disappointment” after Argentina players unfurled an “insensitive” banner after defeating England in the World Cup semi-finals.
Argentine players held up a banner that read: “The Falklands are Argentina” (Image: Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
FIFA is investigating after Argentine players put up what the Falkland Islands government described as an “insensitive” banner after the team’s win over England. A late fightback in Atlanta gave Argentina a 2-1 victory and a place in the World Cup finals.
During the full-time celebrations, a group of Argentina players held up a banner reading “Argentina, son of Las Malvinas” (Falkland Islands is Argentina). This comes after Argentina’s players sang a chant referencing the Falkland Islands following their 3-2 win over Egypt in the Round of 16.
The banner has sparked a backlash from Britain, with many believing it insults the 255 British soldiers who died in the 1982 Falklands War. A British government statement released on Thursday morning reiterated: “The World Cup may not be ours, but the Falkland Islands most certainly is.”
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey even called for players who celebrated with banners to be “kicked out” of Sunday’s final against Spain. The Falkland Islands Government has also written to soccer’s world governing body.
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In response to the backlash, FIFA said: “As is standard procedure, FIFA’s Independent Disciplinary Committee is currently assessing the match report and considering the relevant circumstances before deciding on possible further action.”
“The Falkland Islands Government is disappointed, but not surprised, by the Argentine football team’s decision to taint the result of last night’s World Cup soccer semi-final, a match in which the Falkland Islands were not involved in any way,” the letter said.
“Having said that, it is hardly news to anyone that the people of the Islands were victims of an aggressive invasion in 1982 that left many traumatized.The banner that Argentina put up last night was therefore particularly insensitive to many people in the Falkland Islands.
The banner sparked a backlash from the UK and Falkland Islands (Image: Jewel SAMAD/AFP via Getty Images)
“It is the Falkland Islands Government’s commitment that we do not want politics to enter sport. We also do not want the island and its people to be used as a political football in any conversation about England and Argentina.”
“We welcome the UK Government’s supportive statement this morning. As Business Secretary Peter Kyle has highlighted, one of the core tenets of the World Cup is that politics is kept separate from football. We expect FIFA to uphold its promise to keep politics out of sport and sanction all this type of behavior in line with its own rules.”
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