Falkland Islands demand Fifa punishes Argentina for 'insensitive' World Cup flag stunt

Falkland Islands demand Fifa punishes Argentina for 'insensitive' World Cup flag stunt

The Falkland Islands Government has called on Fifa to punish the Argentine national team for its "insensitive" World Cup "Malvinas" display. As jubilant players celebrated their dramatic 2-1 semi-final victory over England, cameras captured several members of the South American squad posing with a flag bearing a message which translates as "The Falkland Islands are Argentine." The gesture sparked fury across Britain and inside Downing Street, with No10 vowing: "The World Cup might not be ours, but the Falkland Islands definitely are." And now, the Falklands Islands Government has penned a letter to Fifa about the stunt - and has urged the governing body to punish the Argentine Football Association (AFA). TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say Jack Ford, a Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly member, described the display as a "clear political statement regarding the sovereignty" of the archipelago. He wrote: "Videos were also leaked following their Argentina vs Egypt fixture in which the Argentinian squad sang chants about the Falkland Islands in their locker rooms. "We are disappointed, though regrettably not surprised, by this manner of action, as this is not the first such incident." Mr Ford pointed to the AFA being slapped with a £20,000 fine by Fifa in 2014 after players help up a banner also reading "Las Malvinas son Argentinas" during a friendly match against Slovenia. The Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly member also called for Fifa to show "consistency" within their own rules, citing the Statutes and Disciplinary Code, which bans political, religious and personal messaging at matches. He also added that the Falkland Islanders affected by the Argentine squad's display have a "settled, democratic position". Mr Ford wrote: "The Falkland Islands are a diverse, self-governing, self-funding British Overseas Territory, and engage internationally in sport, science, and humanitarian work as such. "In the 2013 referendum on our political status, 99