ERIC WEIL in BUENOS AIRES: Fears are growing within Argentinian football that world federation FIFA may threaten to suspend the country over the continuing struggles to rebuild its federation administration.

The concern was raised by Diego Maradona after his recent exchanges with FIFA president Gianni Infantino at ‘legends’ events.

While Maradona’s outpourings cannot always be taken seriously, he reported that Infantino was growing impatient with the AFA which is being run by an ‘normalisation committee’ nominated – with difficult – by both FIFA and South American confederation CONMEBOL.

According to Maradona,  Infantino said he was not happy with some of the nominations on the committee – being led by Belgrano president Armando Pérez – and felt FIFA alone should be enabled to appoint a new interim AFA president.

The Argentinian players’ union is also growing impatient. Last week, its president, Sergio Marchi, went to the Employment Ministry to complain that players were owed $30m which is more than the $22m the government still owes AFA for the Futbol Para Todos contract which expired at the end of 2016.

FTP was originally created by former President Cristina Kirchner and the late AFA ‘caudillo’ Julio Grondona but was quickly declared dead in the water by current state President Mauricio Macri.

The government appears unlikely to pay the debt though it might be moved if the players threaten to go on strike,

For example two weeks ago, when the second division clubs said they would not start the championships unless the clubs are paid outstanding TV cash, the funds suddenly appeared.

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