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UEFA slams FIFA's 'unprecedented, unjustifiable' Balogun decision

reuters.com

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Re: UEFA slams FIFA's 'unprecedented, unjustifiable' Balogun decision

#11

Post by bhupy »

dmix wrote: post #6
alephnerd wrote: post #2

[flagged]

Every major sports league has a history of this inconsistent administration stuff. The goal is ultimately entertainment.

> The goal is ultimately entertainment

This is something I see so many people forgetting.

The net result of this decision is simply that the USA gets to play with their full squad and you have an actually interesting competition. The reason we as a world spend hundreds of millions of dollars to let athletes play a game for a living is pretty much exclusively for interesting competition. It serves no other socially useful purpose.

Embarrassing for the Belgians and the Europeans to respond any other way than: "we look forward to beating your best team, game on".

Re: UEFA slams FIFA's 'unprecedented, unjustifiable' Balogun decision

#12

Post by lokar »

bflesch wrote: post #7
alephnerd wrote: post #2

[flagged]

Your statement is false. Ronaldo's 3-game-ban was reduced to the 1-game-ban minimum. In the current case it is about reducing the 1-game-ban minimum to an unprecedented zero game ban.

True, but they were different offenses.

Re: UEFA slams FIFA's 'unprecedented, unjustifiable' Balogun decision

#13

Post by phlipski »

The rules need to be updated to better ensure accurate calls. If we can agree that Balogun's red card was overkill because his trip wasn't intentional then there should be a way to reverse the call. And Maradona's "hand of god" goal should have been reversed as well. There should be MORE than one ref on the pitch during these games. And spare me the, "This is how's it's always been" argument... It's the World Cup. Let's do better!

Re: UEFA slams FIFA's 'unprecedented, unjustifiable' Balogun decision

#15

Post by lotsofpulp »

bhupy wrote: post #11
dmix wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Every major sports league has a history of this inconsistent administration stuff. The goal is ultimately entertainment.

> The goal is ultimately entertainment This is something I see so many people forgetting. The net result of this decision is simply that the USA gets to play with their full squad and you have an actually interesting competition. The reason we as a world spend hundreds of millions of dollars to let athletes play a game for a living is pretty much exclusively for interesting competition. It serves no other socially us…

It is more entertaining if the rules are the same for everyone. It would be fine if the official rule is red card disqualifies from next game until a dignitary calls. Or red card consequences can be modified for the top or most popular player on a team.

Re: UEFA slams FIFA's 'unprecedented, unjustifiable' Balogun decision

#17

Post by runarberg »

bhupy wrote: post #11
dmix wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Every major sports league has a history of this inconsistent administration stuff. The goal is ultimately entertainment.

> The goal is ultimately entertainment This is something I see so many people forgetting. The net result of this decision is simply that the USA gets to play with their full squad and you have an actually interesting competition. The reason we as a world spend hundreds of millions of dollars to let athletes play a game for a living is pretty much exclusively for interesting competition. It serves no other socially us…

Where is the fun in watching a rigged game.

I‘m actually not sure this statement is true. “The goal is ultimately entertainment” is a thought terminating cliché. What about sportsmanship, competition, beauty, experiencing a common cultural phenomena with the entire world, etc?

But even if this statement is true, FIFA needs to learn from the failure of Eurovision and see that people are not entertained by watching a rigged game. For competition to be fun, it has to be fair.

Re: UEFA slams FIFA's 'unprecedented, unjustifiable' Balogun decision

#18

Post by pmontra »

dmix wrote: post #6
alephnerd wrote: post #2

[flagged]

Every major sports league has a history of this inconsistent administration stuff. The goal is ultimately entertainment.

In soccer? I disagree. In Europe the goal is winning or at least seeing the main rivals not winning anything important. Entertainment is secondary.

Re: UEFA slams FIFA's 'unprecedented, unjustifiable' Balogun decision

#19

Post by glimshe »

phlipski wrote: post #13

The rules need to be updated to better ensure accurate calls. If we can agree that Balogun's red card was overkill because his trip wasn't intentional then there should be a way to reverse the call. And Maradona's "hand of god" goal should have been reversed as well. There should be MORE than one ref on the pitch during these games. And spare me the, "This is how's it's always been" argument... It's the World Cup. Le…

There is a rule to reverse the call on the books. Article 27 allows FIFA to replace the suspension for a probationary period. Of course the online mob didn't bother checking that.

Re: UEFA slams FIFA's 'unprecedented, unjustifiable' Balogun decision

#20

Post by CodingJeebus »

phlipski wrote: post #13

The rules need to be updated to better ensure accurate calls. If we can agree that Balogun's red card was overkill because his trip wasn't intentional then there should be a way to reverse the call. And Maradona's "hand of god" goal should have been reversed as well. There should be MORE than one ref on the pitch during these games. And spare me the, "This is how's it's always been" argument... It's the World Cup. Le…

There's always going to be a gray area when it comes to contact like Balogun's against Bosnia. Refereeing from one tournament to another isn't the same, the World Cup especially has this issue because the refs all come from different leagues around the world, each with their own skill levels and play styles. The technology helps to a degree, especially around more concrete rules like offside, but this will never fully go away, no matter how much process, people or technology is applied.
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