FIFA cracks down on stadium screen broadcasts after replays fuel Argentina-Mexico disagreement

FIFA cracks down on stadium screen broadcasts

JOHANNESBURG — FIFA will censor World Cup match action being shown on giant screens inside the stadium after replays of Argentina’s disputed first goal against Mexico fueled arguments on the pitch.

Angry Mexico players protested to referee Roberto Rosetti after the screens in Johannesburg’s Soccer City showed Argentina forward Carlos Tevez was offside before he scored the opening goal in a 3-1 victory on Sunday.

FIFA spokesman Nicolas Maingot said Monday that replaying the incident was “a clear mistake.”

“This will be corrected and we will have a closer look into that,” Maingot told a news conference Monday. “We will work on this and be a bit more, I would say, tight on this for the games to be played.”

Maingot said the screens were used to broadcast a FIFA “infotainment program” to fans before the match and could be used to replay some match action.

Responsibility for operating the screens falls to South Africa’s World Cup organizing committee, which took charge of the 10 stadiums during the tournament.

Organizers’ spokesman Jermaine Craig said he had spoken to the stadium broadcasting team about the incident.

“The goal was awarded and it happened relatively quickly,” Craig said. “In retrospect, maybe it shouldn’t have been shown. It was shown and unfortunately there is nothing we can do about that.”

Maingot said FIFA has not yet received feedback from its officials at the match about a mass confrontation between coaches and players behind the Mexico bench as the teams left the field at halftime.

Italian referee Rosetti was at the center of a melee trying to separate heated conversations that included Argentina coach Diego Maradona.