<
>

Argentina will not withdraw from Copa America - FA chief Luis Segura

Current Argentina Football Association president Luis Segura said on Tuesday that although the organisation is passing for "a difficult time," he doubted there was any danger that the Albiceleste would pull out of the Copa America Centenario.

Argentina are among the favourites for the tournament in the United States and are due to play their first match against holders Chile in Santa Clara, California, on June 7.

Argentina's participation has been thrown into doubt by the AFA after the Argentine government suspended the federation's presidential elections, which had been scheduled for June 30, and appointed two inspectors to investigate allegations that TV revenues had been misappropriated.

"The AFA is passing through difficult times, but I would not say their condition is terminal," Segura told Radio Mitre. "I don't see any chance that the Argentina national team would be called back from the United States nor do I have any plans to resign."

According to reports, a federal judge is currently investigating the handling of the money earned from the "Futbol Para Todos" TV programme, which is overseen by the central government and was a project of former Argentina president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner.

Finally, Sergio Brodsky, who heads up Argentina's Corporate Records Office (IGC) said he doubted that FIFA would intervene to suspend Argentina's national team due to the government intervention and insisted that the federal judge in the case, Maria Servini de Cubria urged the inspectors to use caution.

"By sending in the inspectors I think we are complying with the judicial mandate," Brodsky said. "The inspectors will look into the situation and prepare a report. There is no change to the current [Argentina FA] administration so this cannot be called an intervention. We have been very cautious with the resolution we passed yesterday. We have read over the FIFA statutes to avoid any type of sanction on suspension. Here, there is nothing more going on than an investigation."