Post-Game Altercation Follows Close Contest Between Argentina and Dominican Republic
A physical altercation broke out following the Dominican Republic’s 84-83 victory over Argentina at the end of thier game on August 24, 2025. the game concluded after a missed three-point attempt by Juan Marcos in the final possession. The situation was quickly brought under control by players and referees from both teams.
the cause of the scuffle remains unclear, but Argentine coach Pablo Prigioni and player Francisco Caffaro offered potential explanations.
Prigioni expressed his frustration during the post-game press conference, stating that the referees failed to call an unsportsmanlike foul on José Vildoza, alleging Vildoza was struck in the face. He questioned the standard for calling such fouls, asking, “Do you have to grab the neck? I do not understand.” Prigioni argued that a pattern of allowing physical play contributed to the escalation, and called for the referees to “live up to the level of the level that the two teams are playing.”
Caffaro described the game as physical and suggested the Dominican Republic team initiated the contact. He acknowledged his own involvement, stating, “We where also involved, but I don’t think we were the causes of what happened… It is difficult when I see a partner who is doing what they are doing not to get involved.”
Responding to media questions, Caffaro further stated he believed the incident stemmed from the Dominican Republic team’s celebration after the game, referencing a gesture he described as a “fart.” Coach Prigioni interrupted him, stating, “That’s it, we talked about that,” before ending the press conference alongside Caffaro.
Neither Dominican Republic coach Néstor “che” garcía, nor player Andrés Feliz, who represented their team at the press conference, addressed the incident or responded to questions about it.
A video of the altercation was shared on Twitter by @LaGuerraBSN: https://twitter.com/LaGuerraBSN/status/1959728738515791972
