Disgraced former Argentina rugby captain Pablo Matera and team mates Guido Petti and Santiago Socino will remain with the Pumas camp until the end of the Australia tour despite being suspended for historical racist comments on social media.
Matera was stripped of the Argentina captaincy and stood down yesterday along with Petti and Socino for posting "discriminatory" and "xenophobic" comments on their social media accounts between 2011 and 2013.
The team has declined to comment on disciplinary proceedings but a team spokesperson has confirmed the trio will stay in in camp as Argentina prepare for their final Tri-Nations clash against Australia in Sydney on Saturday.
"They are staying here," the spokesperson said, adding that it was still unclear who would replace Matera as captain.
Pablo Matera (far left) and Guido Petti (next to him) will remain with the Pumas side in Australia despite being suspended. Photo: Photosport
The players apologised after the posts, which included disparaging comments about Black people and domestic workers from Bolivia and Paraguay, resurfaced on social media.
They remain suspended pending a disciplinary hearing.
The scandal has rocked Argentine rugby only weeks after Pumas staff and players wept with joy following their stunning 25-15 upset of New Zealand in Sydney, the South Americans' first ever win over the All Blacks.
However, the tour has gone downhill since, with the Pumas crashing to a 38-0 loss to the All Blacks on Saturday and lambasted by home fans who felt their black-armband tribute to late soccer great Diego Maradona was inadequate.
Matera apologised for the low-key tribute in a video with the team earlier this week but it was not enough to placate some of his compatriots, including Maradona's national team mate and goalkeeper Nery Pumpido, who said he would never watch another Pumas game.
-Reuters