FIFA has confirmed that it has extended the ban handed to Gianluca Prestianni following a request from UEFA, reports sportbible.com.
 
Confirming Prestianni’s global ban, FIFA, yesterday, said that the sanction will rule the Benfica winger out of two World Cup games should he be a part of Argentina’s squad.
 
The decision comes two weeks after UEFA imposed a six-game ban, three of which were deferred on probation, on Prestianni for his verbal abuse of Real Madrid’s star Vinicius Junior in the Champions League.
 
Prestianni covered his mouth with his jersey while using the insult that Vinicius has alleged were racist, a claim that Prestianni has denied.
 
UEFA later submitted a request to apply the ban beyond European competitions, which FIFA obliged by extending the ban to the World Cup.
 
“The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has decided to extend the six-match ban imposed by UEFA on Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni to have worldwide effect,” a FIFA statement read.
 
Of course, it remains to be seen if Prestianni will be selected by Lionel Scaloni as he prepares an Argentina squad to defend their World Cup title.
 
If he is, he will be unavailable to feature in Argentina’s opening match against Algeria on June 17 in Kansas City or the meeting with Austria five days later in Arlington, Texas.
 
Prestianni will however, be able to return for the final group match against World Cup debutant Jordan on June 28, again in Arlington.