White House Defends Argentina Team's Falklands Banner as FIFA Weighs Action Over 3-2 Win
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 17
White House Defends Argentina Team's Falklands Banner as FIFA Weighs Action Over 3-2 Win
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 17
Summary
Andrew Giuliani said Friday the Argentina team had the right to make the Falklands statement in the US, after players displayed a "Las Malvinas son Argentinas" banner during World Cup celebrations.
FIFA could discipline Argentina because the display may breach rules on political statements, turning a post-match celebration into a wider diplomatic dispute.
Downing Street backed calls for a FIFA investigation, while the Falkland Islands government said it was disappointed and urged sanctions against political messaging in sport.
The banner revived a long-running sovereignty dispute: islanders voted 1,513 to 3 in 2013 to remain a UK overseas territory, decades after the 1982 war killed 255 British personnel and 649 Argentine soldiers.