Emi Martinez slapped with 2-match international ban on account of indecent and vulgar gesturing which is “offensive”.
Emi Martínez, the Argentina goalkeeper has been given a two-match suspension by FIFA’s disciplinary committee for acting in an abusive manner and “violating principles of fair play.”
He will be absent from Argentina’s World Cup qualifying matches against Bolivia on October 15 and Venezuela on October 10.
FIFA determined that Martínez had broken their code of conduct when he celebrated the 2022 FIFA World Cup victory over Chile on September 5 by holding a facsimile of the Copa América trophy to his groin area.
The Aston Villa player was also fined for pushing a camera operator’s equipment after the final whistle on September 10, after Argentina’s 2-1 loss to Colombia.
The operator, Jhonny Jackson told Colombian media outlets that he had been “assaulted” by Martínez, saying he “felt angry, very angry.”
Before FIFA approved the punishment, according to the Argentine Football Federation (AFA), the player and association submitted a defence.
“It should be noted that the Argentine Football Association expresses its absolute disagreement with the decision taken by the FIFA disciplinary committee,” the AFA in a statement.
With eight matches under their belt and eight points overall, La Albiceleste is presently leading Conmebol’s World Cup qualifying rankings, two points ahead of second-place Colombia.
The top six Conmebol teams will earn direct entry for the 2026 competition, while the seventh-place team will play in an inter-confederation playoff game to secure a spot in the competition.