White House backs Argentina players over Falklands banner in World Cup semi-final

Argentina players hold up a banner reading ‘Las Malvinas son Argentinas’ after the Fifa World Cup semi-final match between England and Argentina. Photograph: Michael Zemanek/Shutterstock View image in fullscreen Argentina players hold up a banner reading ‘Las Malvinas son Argentinas’ after the Fifa World Cup semi-final match between England and Argentina. Photograph: Michael Zemanek/Shutterstock White House backs Argentina players over Falklands banner in World Cup semi-final White House Fifa taskforce chief defends Argentina footballers, saying US believes in free speech The White House has backed Argentina’s footballers who displayed a banner supporting their country’s claim to the Falklands Islands after their World Cup semi-final victory against England. In a fractious match in Atlanta on Wednesday, some players held up a banner after Argentina’s 2-1 win that said: “ Las Malvinas son Argentinas ” – using the country’s term for the South Atlantic islands. Keir Starmer supported calls for Fifa to investigate the incident on Friday and appeared to back Spain ahead of the World Cup final against Argentina. But Andrew Giuliani, the head of the White House Fifa taskforce, defended Argentina’s players, saying the US believed in free speech. Giuliani said: “We believe in our first amendment rights here in the United States of America.” He added that Argentina’s players would have the “opportunity to be able to make statements” in the US. The intervention may prove awkward for Andy Burnham as he prepares to take over as British prime minister on Monday. England and Argentina are also due to play against each other in rugby’s Nations Championship on Saturday in Argentina. England players have threatened to walk off if any players are subject to racist abuse. When asked on Thursday for Starmer’s reaction to the sign, his spokesperson said: “The World Cup might not be ours, but the Falkland Islands definitely are. Our position is unchanged. Self-determination rests with the islanders and our commitment to the Falklands will never waver. “More broadly, potential action is a matter for Fifa, but it’s been a fantastic World Cup and we’ve said throughout that politics should stay out of football.” The spokesperson also expressed Starmer’s good wishes for both teams, before adding: “especially Spain”. Earlier on Thursday, Peter Kyle, the business secretary, told the BBC that the banner was “an egregious violation of the rules of not having political activity as part of the football”. He added: “The World Cup has [as] one of its central tenets that politics is separate from football. That is now a matter for Fifa. I expect Fifa to do its investigation thoroughly.” The PM’s spokesperson said Starmer endorsed Kyle’s comments urging Fifa to investigate. ‘Malvinas are Argentinian’: World Cup holders celebrate win over England with Falklands banner Read more A Fifa statement said: “As is standard procedure, Fifa’s independent disciplinary committee is assessing the