Argentina captain, Lionel Messi, has been banned for one match and fined $1,500 by CONMEBOL, south America football governing body.
The punishment include Messi’s accusation of corruption directed at the body at this year’s Copa America, and for the red card he received against Chile in the third-place playoff.
Messi was shown a straight red after clashing with Gary Medel. He afterwards, alleged that the tournament had been fixed in favour of the hosts, Brazil, who beat his team in a controversial semi-final, on their way to winning the title.
Messi labeled the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL), “corrupt”, and did not attend the medal presentation ceremony with his teammates.
CONMEBOL said on Tuesday, that Messi’s comments were “unacceptable”, but failed to impose a tougher sanction on the five-time ballon’ dOr winner.
The Barcelona captain is expected to serve his ban in Argentina’s first qualifier for the 2022 World Cup.
The regional football body also removed the head of the Argentina Football Association, Claudio Tapia, as their official representative at FIFA.
Tapia had also criticized CONMEBOL during and after the Copa America.
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