In the aftermath of a contentious football match between Argentina and Morocco at the Paris Olympics, the event organizers have launched an investigation into the crowd disturbance that disrupted proceedings during the France Olympics. During the match, the stadium erupted in chaos as fans from both teams engaged in unruly behavior, causing delays and disruptions in the Olympic events.
The Argentine Football Association has also called for measures to be taken following the defeat of its men’s team in the game on Wednesday. During the match, Argentina believed they had secured a 2-2 draw when Cristian Medina scored in the 16th minute of injury time, surpassing the 15 extra minutes indicated by officials.
However, the match was marred by crowd unrest, with objects being thrown onto the field and spectators entering the playing area. A firecracker was also hurled at the Argentina bench. As a result of the disturbances, the players were escorted off the field and the match was halted. After nearly two hours, the players returned to play the remaining three minutes in an empty stadium.
Subsequently, Medina’s goal was disallowed for offside following a VAR review, leading to Morocco securing the win.
Paris 2024 organizers released a statement acknowledging the suspension of the match at Saint-Etienne Stadium due to a pitch invasion by a limited number of spectators.
They reassured the match resumed safely and are currently collaborating with relevant parties to determine the causes of the incident and implement appropriate measures. The Argentine Football Association expressed their dissatisfaction with the confusion and controversy caused by the refereeing decisions in the match, labeling it as a scandal.
They mentioned they were overwhelmed with numerous incidents during the game and lodged a formal complaint with FIFA’s disciplinary committee to address the severity of the situation. The association emphasized the importance of ensuring the safety and security of everyone involved in football matches to maintain a peaceful environment for the sport. They stated the urgent need for measures to be taken to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.
The Moroccan team was also displeased with the significant amount of injury time added at the end of the game, and their fans were vocal in showing their disapproval by booing the Argentine team during their entrance onto the pitch and the national anthem ceremony. The hostile reception towards the Argentina team came in response to a video showing some players engaging in racist chants after their victory in the Copa America. The captain of the Moroccan team, Achraf Hakimi, who is a prominent figure in men’s football, criticized the behavior of certain fans at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard.
