Salt Bae-FIFA World Cup final controversy: Did Turkish chef break rules by posing with trophy?

Argentina winning their third FIFA World Cup still remains the talk of the town, be it Lionel Messi’s heartfelt post on achieving his dream or the extravagant parade for the victors in Buenos Aires .

La Albiceleste outplayed France on penalties in a nail-biting game that will go down as one of the most memorable finals in history. But one incident during the post match celebrations has drawn the ire of football fans worldwide.

Turkish chef ‘Salt Bae’ was spotted holding the original FIFA trophy in his hands. The incident has left football fans fuming, with many claiming that the restaurateur broke the rules. Let’s take a look at the controversy and if Salt Bae was indeed breaking any rules:

What happened at the match?

The thrilling encounter between France and Argentina saw Messi and French star Kylian Mbappe putting up spectacular performances. Messi gave Argentina an early lead, which Angel di Maria extended to make it 2-0. But Mbappe’s one-man-show kept Les Bleus alive.

The PSG star managed to equalise the score twice, scoring a hat-trick in the process. In the penalty shoot-out, Argentina edged France 4-2 to lift the trophy for the first time in 36 years. So far, so good.

Then, it was Salt Bae’s moment. The Argentines were celebrating their triumph when the chef entered the pitch. The chef, whose real name is Nusret Gokce, is believed to be close to FIFA president Gianni Infantino. The head of the sporting body has also been spotted visiting one of Salt Bae’s luxury steakhouses during the tournament in Qatar. So, it’s believed that the chef’s relationship with Infantino gave him the credentials to enter the pitch.

Once there, Salt Bae was seen posing with the Argentina squad, many of whom seemed uncomfortable at the attention. He also posted a number of photos from the event, including one where he was seen holding the FIFA trophy.

Check the post here:

The photo of Salt Bae holding the FIFA trophy left many fans angry, who claimed he was technically not allowed to do so.

What do the FIFA rules say?

According to the sporting body’s website, the trophy’s “current design dates back to 1974. As one of the most recognised sports symbols in the world and a priceless icon, the original FIFA World Cup Trophy can only be touched and held by a very select group of people, which includes former winners of the FIFA World Cup and heads of state.”

Taking this into account, it looks like Salt Bae did break the rules.

What happened next?

FIFA has ordered an inquiry into the incident and how Salt Bae gained “undue access” to the pitch. Furthermore, the official Twitter handle of the US Open has taken note of the incident and banned Salt Bae from their 2023 final.

Salt Bae is hereby banned from the 2023 @opencup Final

— U.S. Open Cup (@opencup) December 20, 2022

The decision was welcomed by many users, who slammed Salt Bae for his antics at the Qatar World Cup final.

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