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FIFA banned Lionel Messi to punish us - Argentina FA's Claudio Tapia

FIFA handed Lionel Messi a four-match international ban as punishment to the Argentina Football Association (AFA) for their previous political turmoil, newly elected AFA president Claudio Tapia has said.

Barcelona star Messi was dealt the suspension and a fine of 10,000 Swiss francs ($10,160) by FIFA's disciplinary panel following his actions in Argentina's World Cup qualifier against Chile last month. He is due to miss three more of Argentina's remaining four World Cup qualifiers after sitting out the 2-0 defeat against Bolivia on Tuesday.

Tapia accused FIFA of making Messi a scapegoat to send a clear political message to the AFA. The country's governing body for the sport has been in turmoil since 2014 following the death of longtime leader Julio Grondona. Ensuing charges of corruption led to FIFA's decision in 2016 to name an emergency panel to manage AFA affairs. This January, Argentina league players went on strike and the season was detained two months due to charges of unpaid wages. 

"We have taken it as a message to the AFA," Tapia told Spanish daily Marca. "We think it is an attempt to make us an example using Leo because there are no antecedents of any kind in this case. The referees cannot contend that he is a football player who is difficult to manage on the pitch, it is just the opposite. 

"And what's more, this is a very long punishment, especially since the CONMEBOL qualifiers are very physical and many fouls are called. We are in shock because Leo's behaviour has always been excellent and he has never shown any signs of being aggressive toward referees or opposing team players."

Tapia said that the AFA lawyers, Ariel Rex and Juan De Dios Crespo, are working on an appeal before FIFA and he is optimistic that the ban will be reduced.

"For us, without a doubt, it has been a very tough sanction and we were very surprised by it," Tapia said. "There was nothing [mentioned] on the referee's match report. And it goes without saying that this all happened one day before AFA elections were held."

If the AFA appeal is unsuccessful, Messi will miss games away to Uruguay and at home to Peru and Venezuela and would only return for Argentina's final qualifying match in Ecuador in October.

In their qualifying campaign, Argentina have claimed 15 points of a possible 18 with Messi and only seven of 24 without him.

"For me it's impossible to think of Argentina missing out on the World Cup," Tapia said. "I can't even think of that."

Tapia reiterated that the future of coach Edgardo Bauza's future will be decided after a meeting this week.

Bauza has been under pressure due to Argentina's poor results in 2018 World Cup qualifying, and sources told ESPN FC's Hernan Castillo that he was due to be sacked while the Ole newspaper has reported that the coach is "living on borrowed time."

Argentina are fifth in South American qualifying with four games to play. Only the top four are assured of spots in Russia with the fifth-placed team heading to a continental playoff.

Asked if Bauza was about to lose his job, Tapia told Marca: "No, at least the [AFA's] executive committee has not touched the issue of Bauza's continuity.

"But this week we will have our first official meeting with him and we will truly see what he wants for the national team and what we, the executives, want.

"We only took over our positions last Thursday."

Former Sao Paulo manager Bauza, who was appointed in September, said on Monday that he is "confident, calm and strong to continue as coach."

Parting company with Bauza would be no easy task, according to Tapia.

"He is under contract and has important [release] clauses [in his contract]," he said.

However, Tapia, who was elected president of the federation last week, did fuel speculation that Bauza could be on the way out when he told Marca: "I cannot have confidence in a coach I did not appoint and that is the reality, but he is the coach of the national team and we have to respect him.

"Argentina is never going to have a lack of coaches. I'm convinced that there are many that want to manage the national team, but now we have one and we have to evaluate him.

"We are not comfortable with the position that we have in qualifying but we have to back him in order to come out of this situation."

Tapia insists AFA has not contacted any other coach for the position.

La Nacion reported that Sevilla coach Jorge Sampaoli is the leading candidate to replace Bauza if he is dismissed and claims the Argentine is eager to guide the national side, despite having turned down the opportunity to coach them in August last year when he was offered the job.

"I cannot talk about candidates because we have a coach and that wouldn't say much about me," Tapia said when asked about Sampaoli. "We haven't spoken with any other [coach]. If the coach that we have is no longer in the position, then we will start seeking one."

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