The football match between the two South American football champions Brazil and Argentina was halted at the Neo Quimica Arena in Sao Paulo amid dramatic scenes when a team of Brazilian public health inspectors invaded the arena, leading to clashes between team staff and players. As the dispute escalated, the Argentine players left the field and moved to the locker room. As chaos broke out in the stadium, Argentina captain Lionel Messi came out of the tunnel without his team shirt on.
The South American Football Confederation said in a conclusion that the match had been “suspended”, but did not confirm whether it would be restarted or postponed. He also added: “The referee and the match commissioner will send a report to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee, which will establish steps to follow. These procedures strictly adhere to the existing regulations.”
Premier League players Giovani Lo Celso, Emiliano Martínez, Cristian Romero and Emiliano Bendia were fired from the Argentine squad for violating the COVID-19 protocol. According to the ANVSA, the National Agency for Health Surveillance in Brazil, players reported “misinformation” upon entering the country.
Four Premier League players have been accused of giving false information about their 14-day quarantine stay in the United Kingdom before arriving in Brazil. Officials said: “4 players were instructed to remain in isolation pending relegation, but they did not comply. They went to the stadium and entered the field in a series of violations.”
Brazilian authorities have made it illegal for anyone in the United Kingdom, India, or South Africa to enter the country. According to a government order dated June 23, Brazil has been banned from entering any of these three countries. “The ANVSA considers this situation to be a serious health risk and recommends that local health authorities order players to be quarantined immediately,” the agency said.
Following the suspension of the game, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni criticized the Brazilian authorities. Scaloni told TyCSports network in Argentina: “I am very sad – we are suffering in the sense that we wanted to play the game, and the Brazilian players wanted to play it and the show had to be played.”
