Ex-Manchester United and Chelsea star Juan Sebastian Veron has been slapped with a six-month ban from all football activities.
It comes after the 50-year-old and club president of Argentine club Estudiantes de La Plata, watched on as his players refused a guard of honour to Rosario Central - the beneficiaries of a newly-created trophy.
The Argentina Football Association (AFA) controversially changed the rules mid-season to the advantage of Rosario who lifted their first title since 1987.
How is Argentina's top flight structured?
Argentina’s top-flight comprises two tournaments, the Apertura (opening) and Clausura (closing).
In previous campaigns, the club with the highest points total earned their spot in the Copa Libertadores – South America’s equivalent of the Champions League.
However, Rosario, led by former World Cup winner Angel Di Maria, were declared champions after picking up a combined 66 points across the two tournaments, four more than second-placed Boca Juniors.
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It means that despite being champions, Rosario’s season is now over after their 1-0 defeat to Estudiantes however the season is still ongoing with Veron’s club contesting the Clausura knock-out stages.
Then, whichever side wins the Clausura they will face the Apertura champions Platense in the Champions Trophy which previously decided who will be crowned champions of Argentina.
The decision to change the rules has been met with huge backlash in Argentina with clubs appalled by the change of plans mid-season.
As a result, Rosario’s clash with Estudiantes last weekend was met with hostilities when the newly-crowned champions took to the pitch for their last-16 Clausura clash.
And instead of lining up for the traditional guard of honour for the newly-crowned champions, Estudiantes players turned their backs in a show of defiance of the rule change.
But their protests have come at a price after the AFA issued swift punishments to Veron and his club with lengthy bans.
Rosario Central are the new and controversially-crowned champions of Argentina
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Rosario Central are the new and controversially-crowned champions of ArgentinaCredit: Getty
Veron, who has served as the club’s president for the last nine years, was handed a six-month ban from all football activities.
Meanwhile, the 11 players who took to the field against Rosario were all slapped with two-match bans which will be served during the next tournament.
Club captain Santiago Nunez has also been banned from on-field captaincy duties for the next three months.
Veron has previously criticised AFA president Chiqui Tapia and it appears that his wife Valentina Martin feels the same judging by her social media post in the aftermath of the ruling.
She described the AFA as 'mafiosos of Argentine football' while calling for a 'strike' to 'put an end to this mafia' implying that those at the top of Argentine football were fearful of her husband's influence in the game.
Full backing
Estudiantes posted a statement in support of Veron and the club’s players in the wake of the sanctions handed down.
Veron has received the backing of his club over the affair
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Veron has received the backing of his club over the affairCredit: Getty
Angel Di Maria refused to hit out at Estudiantes for the gesture aimed at his side
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Angel Di Maria refused to hit out at Estudiantes for the gesture aimed at his sideCredit: Getty
The club said they would be “analysing the sanction received in detail, in order to take the appropriate measures to defend the interests of the institution and its members.
“In this context, the board of directors expresses its full support for its president Juan Sebastian Veron, Santiago Nunez and the entire professional squad.”
Present during the 1-0 defeat at Estudiantes, Di Maria remained coy when asked about the gesture towards his side.
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“It's their business,” Di Maria said. “They built the guard of honour anyway.
“One of the guys told us they were going to do that, and that's fine. It's their business. We went in the way we were supposed to, and that's that.”