with immediate effect after the remaining three
matches of his four-game suspension were wiped
by FIFA as his appeal against the sanction
succeeded.
Messi was handed the sanction after abusing a
match official during the 1-0 victory over Chile in
March, ruling him out of the 2-0 loss at Bolivia and
their next three 2018 World Cup qualifiers.
But the Barcelona forward's representatives were
confident after submitting their case at an appeal
hearing in Zurich on Thursday and a FIFA
statement on Friday revealed he has been
successful.
The appeal committee "considered Messi's
behaviour as reproachable" but found the evidence
available was not sufficient to enforce the
suspension, which the 29-year-old, Argentina and
even his club side had vociferously opposed.
"The FIFA Appeal Committee has upheld the appeal
lodged by the Argentinian Football Association, on
behalf of the player Lionel Messi, against the
decision taken by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee,
lifting the sanctions imposed on him as a result,"
read the statement.
"Following a hearing which took place in Zurich on
4 May 2017, the Appeal Committee has set aside
the decision taken by the FIFA Disciplinary
Committee on 28 March 2017, which, in application
of art. 77 a) of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC),
had found Lionel Messi guilty of infringing art. 57
of the FDC for having directed insulting words at an
assistant referee.
"Despite the fact that the FIFA Appeal Committee
considered Lionel Messi's behaviour as
reproachable, the former concluded that the
evidence available was not sufficient to establish
to the appropriate standard, i.e. to the comfortable
satisfaction of the members of the Appeal
Committee, that art. 77 a) of the FDC, according to
which the Disciplinary Committee is responsible for
sanctioning serious infringements which have
escaped the match officials' attention, could be
applied.
"The Appeal Committee nevertheless underlines the
importance of always showing respect to the match
officials, stressing that such a principle is essential
in football and any unsporting conduct that may be
contrary to the principles of fair play cannot be
accepted.
"In view of the above decision, the match
suspension imposed on Lionel Messi, which
entered into force on 28 March 2017, and the fine
of CHF 10,000 have been lifted."
Captain Messi is now available for the matches
against Uruguay, Venezuela and Peru that he was
previously banned for, along with the final game
away to Ecuador.
Argentina, who sacked Edgardo Bauza as head
coach after the Bolivia loss which Messi missed,
are far from certain to reach the World Cup in 2018
– they sit fifth in South American World Cup
qualifying, which would only be enough for a play-
off spot.
Chile sit one point clear in fourth and final
automatic qualification spot, while Ecuador are only
two behind in sixth.
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