Former Man Utd star banned for six months in Argentine scandal over guard of honour

Estudiantes president Juan Sebastian Veron and the team's starting line-up were handed suspensions by Argentina's FA after refusing to form a guard of honour for Rosario Central, who were declared league champions after a rule change.

Rosario won the new title by ending the regular season of the Apertura and Clausura tournaments with a combined 66 points.

Estudiantes' players turned their backs on Rosario's players when they walked onto the pitch for Sunday's Clausura last-16 game, protesting at their opponents being crowned champions, a title not outlined in the competition's original rules.

Under previous regulations, the team with the highest annual points earned only a Copa Libertadores berth, while Apertura champions Platense are set to face the Clausura champions, to be decided next month, in the end-of-year Champions Trophy.

Former Argentina and Manchester United midfielder Veron was given "a six-month suspension from all football-related activities", the AFA Disciplinary Tribunal's statement said.

The players who "engaged in the reprehensible conduct" were suspended for two matches, it added.

Those sanctions will be served in the next tournament, allowing the players to feature in Saturday's Clausura quarter-final against Central Cordoba.

The AFA also stated that the players will not all serve their bans in the same matches so that the measure "does not affect the integrity of the current competition".

Reuters