Fifa fines Argentine federation for media snub

FIFA have fined the Argentine football federation

Argentina have been fined 300,000 Swiss francs for failing to bring players to four pre-match news conferences during the World Cup, Fifa said in a statement on Friday (local time).

Fifa's disciplinary committee said Argentina had breached its media and marketing regulations in news conferences on the day before games against Nigeria, Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands with only coach Alejandro Sabella present.

After analysing all necessary elements, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee found the Argentina FA guilty of breaching art. 4 par. 1 lit. f and 4. par. 2 of the Regulations 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil as well as art. 12.2 2nd part (i) of the competition’s Media & Marketing Regulations.

The coach is supposed to appear alongside a player.

"The objective is to allow media, and ultimately fans, to have an opportunity to follow a team's preparations, while also allowing each team to have the best possible environment for those preparations," football's world governing body said.

There was no immediate response from Argentina, who face Germany in the World Cup final on Sunday.