FIFA warned the Argentine FA on Wednesday that "it faces possible suspension" if it does not accept CONMEBOL as arbiter in vetting candidates for AFA presidential elections, according to Daniela Desantis of REUTERS. The warning was made three weeks before Argentina’s "crucial" 2018 World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Bolivia. The AFA voted for a modification to an article in its new statutes last week naming the College of Lawyers of Buenos Aires "and not CONMEBOL’s ethics committee as the vetting body of potential election candidates" for the March 29 vote. FIFA and CONMEBOL said in a joint statement that of all the region’s football federations recognized the South American body’s right to do the vetting. The statement said, "Failure to comply ... could result in a possible sanction, one option being a suspension for the AFA" (REUTERS, 3/1). LA NACION reported while Argentine players "wait for clubs to resolve their debts," the Argentine government announced that it paid the 350M Argentine pesos ($22.7M) as part of the rescission of the Fútbol Para Todos contract. Now that the "funds have been transferred from the government to the clubs, the debts could be resolved." A strike has been called by the Argentine Players' Association (FAA), but "it could be called off in time for games to be played on Friday." FAA Secretary Sergio Marchi's intention "is for play not to resume until all players receive every cent that they are owed" (LA NACION, 3/2).
