FIFA lifts suspension of Lionel Messi after appeal
FIFA dropped Lionel Messi’s four-game suspension after just one game when the Argentine star’s appeal was approved.
The FIFA Appeal Committee released an announcement today that the appeal to lift Lionel Messi’s four-game suspension filed by the Argentinian Football Association was successful. Messi has already missed one match due to the initial ruling that penalized Messi for insulting an assistant referee. He is now free to compete for Argentina in their next match.
After stating that the ban had been lifted, the FIFA announcement went on to clarify the decision:
"“Despite the fact that the FIFA Appeal Committee considered Lionel Messi’s behaviour as reproachable, the former concluded that the evidence available was not sufficient to establish the appropriate standard…according to witch the Disciplinary Committee is responsible for sanctioning serious infringements which have escaped the match officials’ attention…”"
Many soccer fans and media members alike were shocked by the harsh penalty dulled out for what appeared to be run of the mill decent from Messi. The move by FIFA to seemingly make the right decision regarding the appeal is equally as shocking as the international governing body is not known for its decision-making ability. It’s a nice change of pace from all the usual corruption and greed.
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The reversal will come to the relief of Argentina fans and players as their national team has struggled in CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifying. Argentina has won only six of their 14 qualifying matches and currently sits in fifth place, one spot away from an automatic trip to the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
The good news for Argentina is that only two points separate them from second-place Colombia. Had the suspension been upheld, Messi would have missed all but one of his country’s remaining qualifiers. The news today should give Argentina the boost they need to secure qualification. And that’s good news for all soccer fans: a World Cup without Lionel Messi is unthinkable.