FIFA is obtuse

FIFA (International Federation of AssociationFootball) adamantly refuses to introduce reforms to prevent referees from making errors. Its stubborn adherence to what is outmoded has discredited it. Now the organisation that regards association football as its exclusive preserve even seems chiefly guilty of undermining fair play and diminishing the world's interest in soccer.

The two round-of-16 matches that took place on June 27 (England vs Germany and Argentina vs Mexico) riveted the whole world. However, both of the referees made errors.

A referee may make a misjudgement purely because what happens at a critical moment escapes him. However, association football involves very highstakes. There have long been suspicions that influential people may try to influence match outcomes.The reputation of Jorge Larrionda, who refereed the match between Germany and England, is not spotless.In 2002, the Uruguayan Football Association suspended him (most probably for corruption) after he had been selected as a World Cup referee. On June27, he may have ruled out Frank Lampard's perfectly good goal because he didn't see it. However, since he has got a record, suspicion cannot but have fallen on him.

Money may have polluted soccer. We can relyonly on the law to deal with those who damage fairplay. FIFA should act as association football's guardian. It should take steps to stop loopholes that may be made use of to make it harder to influencematch outcomes. However, FIFA leaders have all along been too obtuse to do away with outmoded rules. That is why referees have kept making "misjudgements" to the detriment of fair play. FIFA ought to be severely condemned.

In a volley ball match only twelve play. No player may go to the other team's zone. No player can possibly touch any on the other team. However, one referee and six linesmen oversee it to ensure the fairness of the game. Though football pitches are huge, FIFA will have referees run out of breath and make "misjudgements". FIFA leaders are indeed unimaginably obtuse.

FIFA president Joseph Blatter has said errors are part of the game and that is where the fascination of soccer lies. He adamantly refuses to increase the number of referees or have the aid of goal-line technology. In his view, TV replays would disrupt the game and hinder its flow. His arguments against change are utterly absurd and nonsensical.

FIFA would go to any lengths to safeguard its sovereignty over the soccer world. It will make a fuss whenever there is the slightest sign of it being encroached. When players on the French team "mutinied" in South Africa, French President Nicolas Sarkozy expressed his concern. FIFA immediately warned the French government not to meddle in the French Football Federation's affairs. From this it is glaringly clear that FIFA presumes itself to have supremacy. However, in our view, if FIFA adamantly refuses to introduce changes, referees will keep making misjudgements, its matches will be labelled as "unfair play", its reputation will suffer, and the sportwhich most people ardently love will lose its realcharm. What FIFA could then cling to would only be the shame of association football.

明報英語網「雙語社評」english.mingpao.com/critic.htm

國際足協冥頑不靈破壞世界盃公平競技

明報社評

2010.06.29

國際足協（FIFA）不肯改革以減少球證誤判，其抱殘守缺的迂腐思維，使這個視國際足球賽事為其禁臠的組織，不但公信力受損，更儼然成為破壞公平競技的元兇，剝蝕着世人對足球的興趣。

前晚世界盃兩場16 強大戰，英格蘭對德國、阿根廷對墨西哥兩場賽事，萬衆矚目，但是兩場比賽都出現球證誤判。

球證誤判，可能單純的電光石火間走漏眼。但是現代足球，牽涉巨大利益，各方勢力人士會否影響球賽結果，一直是使人無法釋懷的疑團。英德大戰的球證拿利安達（Jorge Larrionda）執法聲譽有污點，他2002 年曾經因為「黑哨」事件，被烏拉圭足總取消世界盃執法資格，今次他誤判林柏特的入球，可能只是單純的看不到；不過，既然有前科，難免使人有更多聯想。

金錢利益污染足球，只能依靠法律對付影響公平競技的人；國際足協應該作為足球比賽的守護者，採取措施堵塞可能被利用的漏洞，減少人為操控賽果的機會，但是國際足協領導人，長久以來冥頑不靈的思維和抱殘守缺的做法，使球賽「誤判」不絕，影響公平競技，應予嚴厲譴責。

排球賽只有12 人，球員不能走到對方場區，並無身體接觸，卻有球證和司線員共6 人執法，確保公平競技。偌大的足球場，國際足協卻要裁判跑到氣咳然後誤判。主事人冥頑不靈程度，匪夷所思。

現任國際足協會長白禮達（Joseph Blatter）曾有所謂「誤判也是足球比賽的一部分，此乃足球的魅力所在」的說法，堅拒增加裁判人數和借助科技執法，他認為若實施電視重播會中斷球賽、破壞球賽的節奏云云。白禮達拒絕變革的說法，其實是荒謬的廢話。

國際足協千方百計維護其世界足球領域的主權，只要有絲毫被侵佔迹象，都會擺出高姿態對應，例如法國隊在南非「兵變」，總統薩爾科齊表達關注，國際足協立即警告法國政府不得插手法國足總事務，其唯我獨尊心態，暴露無遺。不過，我們認為，如果國際足協堅拒改革，錯判、誤判連綿不絕，它所主辦的比賽被貼上「並非公平競技」標籤，則不但國際足協聲譽受影響，全球最多人熱愛的運動也會失去真正魅力，屆時國際足協所堅守的，只是足球的恥辱之地而已。

Glossary

rivet /'rIvIt/

To rivet a person is to hold his attention socompletely that he cannot look away.

escape

be not noticed by.

obtuse /?b'tju:s/

slow or unwilling to understand something.