FIFA takes control of AFA, will appoint normalisation commitee

On the pitch, Argentina is at the Copa America Centenario, one fixture away from terminating a trophy drought that stands at 23 years. But off the pitch, the Asociacion del Futbol Argentina (AFA) is in absolute disarray.

The Bureau of the FIFA Council, in accordance with the FIFA Statutes, decided on Friday to appoint a normalisation committee for the AFA. The committee will be in charge of running the association's daily affairs, and the decision comes one day after Luis Segura, the AFA's president, was charged with fraudulent administration related to television broadcasting rights.

From FIFA's official website:

The Bureau of the FIFA Council has today, 24 June 2016, decided to appoint a normalisation committee for the Argentine Football Association (AFA) in accordance with art. 8 par. 2 of the FIFA Statutes. The committee will be in charge of running the daily affairs of the AFA, revising the AFA statutes in order to bring them in line with the current FIFA Standard Statutes, and organising elections accordingly by 30 June 2017 at the latest.

The decision to appoint a normalisation committee comes after a joint FIFA and CONMEBOL mission visited Argentina earlier this month.

There will be between five and seven members of this normalisation committee, and they will be identified by a joint FIFA and CONMEBOL mission to take place soon. The normalisation committee will act as an electoral committee and none of its members will be eligible for any of the open positions.

Before the Copa America Centenario kicked off, the AFA threatened to pull Argentina out of the tournament, accusing the country's government of "clear interference." Argentina's government suspended the association's presidential elections and appointed two inspectors to investigate what Clarin reported as "financial and administrative" turmoil. Segura subsequently downplayed the threat of pulling out, saying: "The AFA is passing through difficult times."

On Monday, Lionel Messi slammed the AFA via Instagram, uploading a photo of Sergio Aguero and himself on a plane and writing: "Once again waiting on a plane to leave for our destination. What a disaster those at the AFA are, my God!"

Related: Messi brands Argentina Football Association a 'disaster'

Messi's picture triggered a response from the AFA, who published a statement in which the delay was blamed on "climate issues" and the organisers of the Copa America Centenario.

In a rematch of the final from last year's Copa America, Argentina will take on Chile in the final of the Copa America Centenario, looking to terminate a trophy drought that stands at 23 years.