Angry Martinez Faces Punishment For Slapping Camera Operator

Aston Villa goalkeeper, Emi Martinez faces possible punishment from FIFA after slapping a camera operator to the floor at the end of Argentina’s defeat to Colombia.

The Aston Villa goalkeeper was in a foul mood after seeing the Albiceleste – who remain without talismanic captain Lionel Messi following his injury in the 2024 Copa America final – slip to a rare defeat in 2026 World Cup qualifying. Ex-Real Madrid star James Rodriguez netted the decisive goal from the penalty spot.

As Argentina’s players were jeered by home supporters at the final whistle, Martinez took issue with a cameraman getting in his face. He slapped the recording equipment out of his path, knocking operator Jhonny Jackson to the turf.

Jackson told TyC Sports of his experience: “They blew the final whistle and as a camera operator and steadycam operator I always go looking for reactions. I simply enter the field, I look for reactions. I see Dibu, I see him shaking hands with a substitute goalkeeper, I think, and I approach him. And out of nowhere Dibu knocked me down. It made me angry, very angry, because I am working, just like he was doing, him saving and me operating my camera, I wasn’t even playing soccer with him. But I didn’t say anything to him.”

Jackson did go on to send a message to Martinez, adding: “I wanted to tell you to stay calm, brother. In life, at any time, everyone has lost a game, and suddenly that defeat meant a lot to you. But keep going, Dibu.”

The Colombian Association of Sports Journalists has called on world football’s governing body, FIFA, to take action against Martinez. They said in a statement: “Colombia strongly rejects the act of aggression by the Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Dibu Martinez towards a cameraman at the end of the match. Striking a hand to throw the cameraman’s equipment onto the field is an attack on freedom of expression that our association does not tolerate. As the sports journalism authority in the country, we demand that FIFA impose an exemplary sanction against Mr. Emiliano Dibu Martinez, who is not an example for the new generations.”

It remains to be seen what action, if any, will be taken against Martinez. It may be that he is handed a ban, which could rule him out of Argentina’s next round of World Cup qualifiers in October – which will see them travel to Venezuela and play host to Bolivia.