ZURICH (AP) – Days after Panama qualified for the 2026 World Cup, FIFA has expelled the country’s soccer federation president for failing to respect its rules. Previous bans imposed for fat-shaming Star of the women’s national team.
FIFA has announced that Manuel Arias will be banned from “football-related activities for six months”, which expires approximately four weeks before the World Cup begins in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Arias was banned from attending the World Cup draw in Washington, D.C., on December 5, which US President Donald Trump was scheduled to attend.
FIFA also announced that a disciplinary judge had fined Panamanian officials 20,000 Swiss francs ($25,000) for failing to comply with the ethics committee’s previous ruling, which suspended him for six months starting in July. No details were given as to how he broke the ban.
Arias suggested Marta Cox was “fat” after making critical comments about the structure of the national team that qualified for the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
He acknowledged his “unfortunate” comments in March 2024.
During the initial six-month suspension, Arias was supposed to be excluded from two World Cup qualifying matches in June and the Gold Cup in the United States through July.
Arias can appeal the latest FIFA sanctions.
Panama defeated El Salvador 3-0 on Tuesday to qualify for the Men’s World Cup, while defending group leaders Suriname lost 3-1 to Guatemala.
___
AP Soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
