In two successive games this weekend, a bad call by the 4 referees on the field changed the entire momentum and dynamic of the games. In one instance, they didn't give a game-tying goal to England, and in the other, Argentina was unjustly awarded a goal. (And let us also not forget the clear double hand-ball led to the goal that kept Ireland out and put France in, and also the controversial goals disallowed to other teams such as the USA in group play.)
It frustrates me to no end, that in a sport where a goal scored changes the strategy of the game moving forward more than any other sport I can think of, that the governing body of FIFA led now for 12 years by Sepp Blatter do not see how successful video replays have been for many world wide sports including Tennis and Ice Hockey.
The cries of injustice and corruption litter every news site in the world. Open letters to Sepp Blatter, and to FIFA from hundreds of writers around the world can easily be found through simple web searches. Letters with one common request - introduce video replays to eliminate game changing errors by officials.
Although, I personally doubt there is corruption to the extent of allowing or not allowing goals in such crucial games, it is very difficult for me to believe that Sepp Blatter does what is best for the game when all we ever see is him mingling with the heads of state of country after country. To therefore not believe that FIFA and the World Cup is highly influenced by political agendas is ludicrous.
It is clearly time to bring video replays to football's world cup in 2014. The entire world is asking for this, and FIFA and Mr. Blatter look more and more like incompetent prehistoric humans by not acknowledging this.
In doing some research, I see that "Since 1975 Blatter has been working at FIFA, first as Technical Director (1975–1981), then General Secretary (1981–1998) before his election as FIFA President in 1998. He was re-elected as head of FIFA in 2002 and was re-elected unopposed for another four years on 31 May 2007 even though only 66 of 207 FIFA members nominated him. Sepp Blatter sought another term as FIFA president in December 2009 and was duly elected once more." (wikipedia)
As much as we all hate Mr Blatter these days and want to see changes, it is difficult for a change to happen at the top of FIFA, if nobody tries to take the President position away from him. I for one, hope that someone with ideas on how to advance the game will unseat him in 2013.
P.S. I'm sure glad that Mexico, Sweden and USA haven't joined the club of awarding him one of all the numerous awards he has received from countries.
1 comment:
An amazing quote: "Let it be as it is and let's leave football with errors," Blatter said after video experiments were halted at a March 2008 meeting of the rules panel, the International Football Association Board. "Other sports regularly change the laws of the game to react to the new technology. We don't do it and this makes also the fascination and the popularity of football."
Who apart from clinically insane people would ever want to be a referee? The crowd - and millions of TV viewers - can see their mistakes. I agree that you don't want to slow the game down, but the teams arguing with officials absent video evidence ironically can actually take longer. And if the video evidence is indisputable, then throw the refs a bone. Why do they have earpieces and mics if they can't use them?
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