LONDON – FIFA condemned comments by Diego Maradona, after the Argentinianlegend claimed that Colombia only lost to England in the World Cup last 16because of the appointment of referee Mark Geiger for the match.
The 1986 World Cup winner said England’s win was a “monumental robbery”after Gareth Southgate’s men edged through a bad-tempered encounter onpenalties on Tuesday.
“I apologise to all the Colombian people, but the players are not to blame– here is a gentleman (FIFA referees boss Pierluigi Collina) who decidesto choose a referee who, by googling him, can’t be used for a match of thismagnitude,” Maradona told Venezuelan TV channel Telesur.
Maradona was at the match as a guest of FIFA and was pictured before thegame wearing a Colombia shirt.
Football’s world governing body responded, saying it was “extremely sorry”to read the comments from “a players who has written the history of ourgame”.
“Following comments made by Diego Armando Maradona in relation toyesterday’s round of 16 game, Colombia v England, FIFA strongly rebukes thecriticism of the performance of the match officials which it considers tohave been positive in a tough and highly emotional match,” a FIFAspokesperson said in a statement.
“Furthermore, it also considers the additional comments and insinuationsmade as being entirely inappropriate and completely unfounded.” Colombiancaptain Radamel Falcao also criticised American official Geiger, callinghis performance a “disgrace”.
Geiger awarded England a second-half penalty after midfielder CarlosSanchez wrestled Harry Kane to the ground, but also punished an apparentheadbutt by Colombia’s Wilmar Barrios on Jordan Henderson with only ayellow card.
“It was clear that in the 50-50 calls, he always sided with England andthis is a disgrace in the round of 16,” said Falcao.
Geiger was suspended from international football for six months afterseveral controversial decisions during a 2015 Gold Cup semi-final betweenPanama and Mexico.
He also refereed Colombia’s 3-0 group-stage win over Greece at the 2014World Cup.
Former England striker Gary Lineker laughed off Maradona’s comments onTwitter, referencing the Argentinian’s infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal againstEngland in the 1986 quarter-finals.
“The sheer effrontery from the fella who punched one in. You’ve got to handit to him.” England face Sweden in the last eight in Samara on Saturday.