FIFA dealt a four-match ban to Lionel Messi on Tuesday after ruling that the Argentina forward verbally abused a match official in a World Cup qualifying game against Chile last week.
Messi was dealt the suspension and a fine of 10,000 Swiss francs ($10,160) by FIFA's disciplinary panel. He will miss four of Argentina's remaining five World Cup qualifiers, including the match against Bolivia on Tuesday night. He can return for Argentina's final qualifier, away to Ecuador on Oct. 10.
FIFA said Messi was guilty of "having directed insulting words at an assistant referee" and added in a statement: "This decision is in line with the FIFA Disciplinary Committee's previous rulings in similar cases."
The Argentina federation confirmed it will appeal the ban, with team secretary Jorge Miadosqui saying: "The decision doesn't correspond with the reality based on what was put in the referee's report."
Football's world governing body intervened after the incident was not initially reported by Brazilian referee Sandro Ricci after Argentina beat Chile 1-0 in Buenos Aires on Thursday. Messi scored the only goal from a first-half penalty.
Television pictures showed Messi reacting angrily late in the game when assistant referee Emerson Carvalho flagged him for fouling an opponent. He waved his arms and shouted profane insults at the assistant. After the game, Messi refused to shake hands with Carvalho.
Argentina newspaper Ole published documents from the FIFA inquiry, which quote head referee Ricci as saying he wasn't aware that Messi had insulted any official.
"I did not hear any offensive language from Messi or anyone else towards myself, besides the normal players' complains (specially raising their hands) [sic] during the match. If I had heard any offensive word, I would have acted in according the rules of the game."
Atletico Madrid forward Angel Correa will start in place of Messi on Tuesday night, with Argentina set to play Bolivia in La Paz's altitude without Gonzalo Higuain, Javier Mascherano, Lucas Biglia and Nicolas Otamendi, all of whom are suspended after collecting yellow cards. Full-backs Gabriel Mercado and Emmanuel Mas are both injured and will sit out.
Messi was dealt the suspension and a fine of 10,000 Swiss francs ($10,160) by FIFA's disciplinary panel. He will miss four of Argentina's remaining five World Cup qualifiers, including the match against Bolivia on Tuesday night. He can return for Argentina's final qualifier, away to Ecuador on Oct. 10.
FIFA said Messi was guilty of "having directed insulting words at an assistant referee" and added in a statement: "This decision is in line with the FIFA Disciplinary Committee's previous rulings in similar cases."
The Argentina federation confirmed it will appeal the ban, with team secretary Jorge Miadosqui saying: "The decision doesn't correspond with the reality based on what was put in the referee's report."
Football's world governing body intervened after the incident was not initially reported by Brazilian referee Sandro Ricci after Argentina beat Chile 1-0 in Buenos Aires on Thursday. Messi scored the only goal from a first-half penalty.
Television pictures showed Messi reacting angrily late in the game when assistant referee Emerson Carvalho flagged him for fouling an opponent. He waved his arms and shouted profane insults at the assistant. After the game, Messi refused to shake hands with Carvalho.
Argentina newspaper Ole published documents from the FIFA inquiry, which quote head referee Ricci as saying he wasn't aware that Messi had insulted any official.
"I did not hear any offensive language from Messi or anyone else towards myself, besides the normal players' complains (specially raising their hands) [sic] during the match. If I had heard any offensive word, I would have acted in according the rules of the game."
Atletico Madrid forward Angel Correa will start in place of Messi on Tuesday night, with Argentina set to play Bolivia in La Paz's altitude without Gonzalo Higuain, Javier Mascherano, Lucas Biglia and Nicolas Otamendi, all of whom are suspended after collecting yellow cards. Full-backs Gabriel Mercado and Emmanuel Mas are both injured and will sit out.
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