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FIFA's Appeal Committee has partially upheld the Argentine Football Association (AFA) appeal against sanctions handed to several team members following the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, with Nahuel Molina's suspension getting reduced, while the punishment for midfielder Leandro Parades stands.
As per a Spanish newspaper, Marca, report quoted by Goal.com, FIFA cut the ban for Nahuel from seven matches to four and also reduced his fine from 90,000 dollars to 60,000. But for Parades, his 10-match suspension along with his 90,000 dollar fine still stands. In an official statement, the AFA said that they would be requesting the grounds for decisions before taking them to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). AFA insists that they held "sufficient arguments from both a factual and legal standpoint" to demand a review of sanctions. Days after the World Cup final, the AFA was fined USD 321,000 for breaches of multiple articles of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC), including the use of a sports event for demonstrations of a non-sporting nature, team misconduct, discrimination and racist abuse, and failure to ensure order and security at matches, according to the statement issued by FIFA's Disciplinary Committee. The sanctions were imposed in light of discriminatory chants and gestures by Argentina supporters during the tournament. In addition to the fine, the AFA was ordered to play its next two home matches with a limited number of spectators, allowing only 50 per cent attendance, due to the breach related to discrimination and racist abuse. FIFA further stated that USD 100,000 from the total fine must be invested in a plan aimed at combating discrimination. The governing body also confirmed that part of the sanction, including one of the two home-match restrictions and USD 100,000 of the fine, has been suspended with a probationary period. Meanwhile, following the report submitted by the Disciplinary and Ethics Prosecutor regarding incidents during the FIFA World Cup 2026 final between Spain and Argentina, FIFA also announced individual sanctions. Argentina players Paredes and Nahuel Molina received suspensions of 10 and 7 matches, respectively, along with fines of USD 90,000 each. Thiago Almada has been handed a one-match suspension and fined USD 30,000, while team official Roberto Ayala has been suspended for three matches and fined USD 30,000. Paredes, the Argentine midfielder, was involved in a post-match ruckus after Argentina's loss to Spain courtesy of an extra-time winner from Ferran Torres. Spain player Pablo Martin Paez Gavira also received a one-match suspension and a fine of USD 30,000. (ANI)
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