Argentina players held up a political banner declaring “Las Malvinas Son Argentinas” (“The Falklands are Argentinian”) after their victory over England, in apparent contravention of FIFA rules. FIFA’s Stadium Code of Conduct bans “banners, flags, flyers, apparel and other paraphernalia that are of a political, offensive, and/or discriminatory nature” inside stadiums.
Argentina and England fought a short conflict over the islands in 1982, in which 649 Argentinian soldiers and 255 British soldiers died. Britain ultimately won, and the vast majority of the islands’ residents have said they wish to remain part of Britain. Argentina has long claimed it inherited the islands from Spain after its independence in 1816 and that Britain took control in 1833 through an illegal colonial act.
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) and FIFA have specific rules against players participating in political messaging. “Equipment must not have any political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images. Players must not reveal undergarments that show political, religious, personal slogans, statements or images, or advertising other than the manufacturer’s logo,” IFAB’s rulebook states.
“For any offense the player and/or the team will be sanctioned by the competition organizer, national football association or by FIFA.”
It is not the first time the question of political banners has come up during the World Cup. Last month in Los Angeles, Iranian Americans waved pre revolutionary flags that are symbols of protest against the Tehran government when Iran played. Those matches proceeded without incident.
