One month ago, Spain won the World Cup final against Argentina, and a series of conspiracy theories, some implying that they had lost on purpose for a variety or reasons, like threats by FIFA, secret deals, or anything but to accept that they had not been better than their rivals. Today, Claudio "Chiqui" Tapia, President of the Argentine Football Association, has written a strongly worded statement slamming all of those who started those conspiracy theories and of course were never proved.
"A month has passed. A month since that final. A month since the lies, the manipulation, and a despicable campaign to portray this team as having thrown the game. The most striking thing is that, after a month, no one apologized. No one came out and said, 'We were wrong.' No one had the honesty, the dignity, or simply the guts to take responsibility", Tapia said.
"They demanded explanations when they didn't have a single shred of evidence. They pointed the finger at players who were giving their all. They fueled a lie and presented it as truth. Now it's your turn to offer explanations. Because greatness also lies in admitting a mistake. And when you accuse, lie, and publicly hurt those who gave everything for this jersey, apologizing isn't a favor. It's an obligation".
Argentine Football Association president demands conspiracists to take responsibility
"While our players gave their all on the field, some outside were doing the exact opposite: sowing hatred, dividing, smearing, and trying to destroy the image of a national team that earned the respect of millions. To all of them: take responsibility".
Tapia, very serious, says "there's no going back from calling the national team players traitors", and expressed his pride with the players and coaching staff, who "continue to hold their heads high, because they know what they did that day."
"They know how much they gave on that field. And they know that, when the final ended, they owed nothing to anyone. Those who gave their all have nothing to explain. Those who lied do", he concluded.
