FC Barcelona and Argentina captain Lionnel Messi had been banned from international football for three months by the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) following his claim the Copa America was corrupt.

The 32-year-old forward was sent off during Argentina’s 2-1 third-place play-off defeat of Chile and he later said the competition was fixed for hosts Brazil.

He has also been fined about N18 million (about 50,000 dollars or 41,121 pounds).

Messi has seven days to appeal the decision to suspend him, as well as the fine.

The ban means Messi will miss Argentina’s upcoming friendly matches against Chile, Mexico and Germany in September and October.

The ban will however not disrupt Argentina’s qualifying campaign for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, as the qualifiers begin in March.

After Argentina’s 2-0 semi-final defeat by hosts Brazil, the Argentine Football Association had complained about “serious and gross refereeing errors”.

Messi was shown a red card in the 37th minute against Chile, following a clash with Gary Medel, who was also dismissed.

“We don’t have to be part of this corruption,” Messi had said. “They have showed us a lack of respect throughout this tournament.

“Sadly, the corruption, the referees, they don’t allow people to enjoy football, they ruined it a bit.”

CONMEBOL had responded by saying accusations questioning the integrity of the Copa America were “unfounded” and “represent a lack of respect”.(NAN)

_______________________________________________________________________ Groundbreaking Guide For Lawyers: Adigwe Publishes ‘Artificial Intelligence For Lawyers’ With Free Research eBook The book also examines Nigeria's legal ecosystem, focusing on the LPELR and NBA AI Guidelines. As a bonus, every purchase comes with a FREE eBook titled: How to Use the AI Features in LegalPedia and LawPavilion. Ohio Books Ltd praises the publication, stating: "....this is the only Nigerian book I know of on the topic." How to Order: 📞 Call, Text, or WhatsApp: 08034917063 | 07055285878 📧 Email: benadigwe1@gmail.com 🌎 Website: www.benadigwe.com Ebook Version: Access it directly online at https://selar.com/prv626 Authored by Ben Ijeoma Adigwe Esq., ACIarb (UK), LL.M, Dip. in Artificial Intelligence, Director at the Delta State Ministry of Justice, Asaba, Nigeria. _______________________________________________________________________

“Order Justice Omolaye-Ajileye’s Electronic Evidence Books Now” — Essential Guides On Evidence Act, Case Law And Digital Proof

Two leading books on electronic evidence by Hon. Justice Professor Alaba Omolaye-Ajileye, Rtd., PhD, FICMC, are now available for purchase. The publications, Electronic Evidence (Second Edition), With The Evidence Act, 2011 and Compendium Of Cases On Electronic Evidence, Volume II, 2020–2025, provide practical guidance, legal analysis and recent judicial authorities on electronic evidence in Nigeria.Order directly from the author here: https://velvety-cendol-7387ed.netlify.app/ ______________________________________________________________________ [A MUST HAVE] Evidence Act Demystified With Recent And Contemporary Cases And Materials
“Evidence Act: Complete Annotation” by renowned legal experts Sanni & Etti.
Available now for NGN 40,000 at ASC Publications, 10, Boyle Street, Onikan, Lagos. Beside High Court, TBS. Email publications@ayindesanni.com or WhatsApp +2347056667384. Purchase Link: https://paystack.com/buy/evidence-act-complete-annotation ________________________________________________________________________ “Enhance Legal Practice With Authoritative Reports” — Alexander Payne Offers Comprehensive Law Reports, Spanning Over A Century Of Nigerian Jurisprudence

Interested buyers are encouraged to place their orders and enquiries via: 0704 444 4777, 0704 444 4999, 0818 199 9888 Website: www.alexandernigeria.com

_______________________________________________________________________