The International Sports Press Association (AIPS) has demanded an apology from Lionel Messi and his teammates for insulting journalists after their world cup victory on Sunday.
The team sang a song in front of journalists at the mixed zone: “Support the national team, support them to the death because I love Argentina, because it’s an emotion I carry in my heart. And I don’t care what those f*g journalists say!”
A statement from Gianni Merlo, the President of AIPS reads
“Lionel Messi is undoubtedly the number one in football, the captain of the Argentine national team, who won the World Cup, but for this very reason he should apologise on behalf of the team for the song with which he and his teammates insulted us journalists, all of our category.
RESPECT He may be a lauded billionaire, but he has to respect those who have also contributed, with their enthusiasm and no self-interest, to creating his myth.
In addition to being great players they should also be role models in life, because they have become rich thanks to everyone.
THE INSULT It was nice to see him on the pitch with his family, everyone rejoiced with him. But now what would the public and the family members of journalists, who have been described as “whores” (“putos periodistas”) by characters who sometimes have dubious behaviours bordering on law, think.
APOLOGY Among the players there were also officials of the Argentine federation singing and this is even more serious.
Let’s hope that some of them realise the offense done and apologise.”