Argentina's top football officials have strongly denied media reports that their federation president and treasurer were detained in the United States after the World Cup final. The Argentine Football Association released a statement on Wednesday rejecting claims that president Claudio Tapia and treasurer Pablo Toviggino were held at New York's John F. Kennedy airport.
The reports, which appeared in several news outlets, alleged that the two officials were questioned by US authorities before boarding a flight carrying the national team back to Argentina. The team had just lost to Spain in the World Cup final on Sunday.
The association did not provide further details about the incident but called the reports false. It is unclear why the officials would have been detained, and no official comment from US authorities has been made. The denial comes as the Argentine squad returned home after their defeat.
The controversy adds to a busy period for Argentine football, which recently celebrated a World Cup victory in 2022. The current final loss to Spain was a disappointing end to the tournament for the South American champions.