FIFA on Monday confirmed that it is investigating the political banner that Argentina’s players unfurled ahead of its game with Slovenia on Saturday. Ahead of the match, which Argentina woncomfortably, 2-0, the team paraded around a banner that read: “Las Malvinas Son Argentinas” (The Falklands are Argentine). While the team has paraded similar banners before, FIFA has saidit will investigate the issue as the World Cup is right around the corner.
FIFA does not allow political messages during games, which means that Argentina could be punished by thesport’s governing body as a result. Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands in 1982, but British forces forced their surrender after a short but bloody war. The South Americans lost 649servicemen during the conflict, the UK 255. In a recent referendum on the Falklands on whether the islanders wanted to remain British, 1,513 voted yes and just three voted no. The sovereignty of theislands remains a big issue in Argentina, with the majority of the public wanting them back under Argentine control.