FIFA To Investigate Flares But Probably Not Racism
AS everyone knows, FIFA are a bunch of clowns. They’re like local councillors raiding the buffet car and talking about golf swings while property developers build a car park on the only playground in town.
While they pick tuna from their teeth, they could be looking at a World Cup boycotted by black footballers. After the scenes in Moscow, when Manchester City’s Yaya Toure claims he was racially abused by CSKA fans, all black players are wondering whether they want to play at the 2018 World Cup in Russia at all.
UEFA are to open disciplinary proceedings and FIFA are still scratching their backsides.
Even FIFA’s own players’ union – FIFPro – are having a pop at the old dear, saying that they’ve failed to enforce their own guidelines, under which match officials have the ability to abandon games in case of a serious incident.
However, that’s not FIFA’s concern. They’re more interested in opening disciplinary proceedings against the English and Polish Football Associations after flares were let off at Wembley in the recent World Cup qualifier earlier this month.
A Fifa statement read: ”
We can confirm that disciplinary proceedings have been opened against The Football Association and the Polish Football Association for incidents that were reported during the preliminary competition match of the 2014 World Cup Brazil between England and Poland on 15 October 2013.
“As the proceedings are on-going, please understand that we cannot comment further.”
So, it seems that FIFA are much more concerned about flares being let off in a stand, which add to the energy and spectacle of a game, rather than looking at the more serious issue of players being abused.
Of course, FIFA cannot rid the world of racist people, but they can absolutely do something to penalise the teams they love and put pressure on football associations to stop people from thinking it is an acceptable thing to do. It may sound a bit dippy and liberal, but have you noticed just how different English football is to watch right now, compared to the 70s and 80s?
FIFA need to come down ludicrously hard on problem countries. In the 80s, all English teams were banned from Europe for their hooligan problem. Not every team was guilty, but the punishment helped to all but reduce hooliganism to a few blokes punching each other while disagreeing over a pint.
Flares, believe it or not, are not the thing that is dragging football sideways.
Posted: 25th, October 2013 | In: Sports Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
