General World Cup Chat

[Deeg67]

The Balogun thing is very unfortunate. He absolutely never should have gotten a red. There absolutely should be an appeal system for red cards. And he absolutely shouldn't have had it rescinded. There's no mechanism within the rules for that. It was an injustice that should have been allowed to stand (and used as an argument for an appeal system for future world cups).

 

The problem is, Diaper Don poisons everything he touches. He's a vile pestilence. The Americans were having a great tournament - it's easily the best we've ever looked in a World Cup, even when we made the quarters. But now no matter what we do, it's tarnished. People will use this as a pretext to dismiss a genuinely strong side as only succeeding because of political interference. Poch should say "We're going to choose to abide by the rules and defeat Belgium without Balogun". But of course he's not going to do that.

[Aus Fox]

1 hour ago, Deeg67 said:

The Balogun thing is very unfortunate. He absolutely never should have gotten a red. There absolutely should be an appeal system for red cards. And he absolutely shouldn't have had it rescinded. There's no mechanism within the rules for that. It was an injustice that should have been allowed to stand (and used as an argument for an appeal system for future world cups).

 

The problem is, Diaper Don poisons everything he touches. He's a vile pestilence. The Americans were having a great tournament - it's easily the best we've ever looked in a World Cup, even when we made the quarters. But now no matter what we do, it's tarnished. People will use this as a pretext to dismiss a genuinely strong side as only succeeding because of political interference. Poch should say "We're going to choose to abide by the rules and defeat Belgium without Balogun". But of course he's not going to do that.

It was a red card, but regardless of that fact. There’s no appeals process in world cups. There never has been and really shouldn’t be, especially in the days of VAR.

This is the worst incident of corruption I’ve heard of in any sport - and by FIFA who are littered with incidents of corruption.

The fact that Nepal were suspended from FIFA last week for political interference, then this week the US president is calling and directly interfering in the biggest competition in the world is an absolute disgrace. 
The US should be kicked out of the competition. But they won’t because $$$$

[Deeg67]

1 minute ago, Aus Fox said:

It was a red card, but regardless of that fact. There’s no appeals process in world cups. There never has been and really shouldn’t be, especially in the days of VAR.

This is the worst incident of corruption I’ve heard of in any sport - and by FIFA who are littered with incidents of corruption.

The fact that Nepal were suspended from FIFA last week for political interference, then this week the US president is calling and directly interfering in the biggest competition in the world is an absolute disgrace. 
The US should be kicked out of the competition. But they won’t because $$$$

Sure, whatever.

 

I mean, Ronaldo had a (two-match) ban suspended for this WC outside the rules because of politics. So did Otamendi and Caicedo. I don't see anybody arguing Argentina or Portugal should be kicked out of the tournament. That's just idiotic on the face of it.

 

None of that makes it right, in any of the above cases. FIFA is hilariously corrupt and everyone knows it. But no impartial observer could look at that Balogun red and say it was justified in the first place. Messi did far worse and got nothing for it. Why? Corruption and politics. Or, as FIFA calls it, business as usual.

[Finnegan]

"The BBC's US media partner CBS News has confirmed that Balogun's reinstatement came after US president Donald Trump called Fifa president Gianni Infantino on Thursday and spoke about the suspension, sources familiar with the call told CBS News." 

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cly99dxjkxxo

 

If we lived in a sane world, that'd end Infantino's career. 

 

[Finnegan]

3 hours ago, Deeg67 said:

He absolutely never should have gotten a red.

 

 

[Jon the Hat]

2 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

"The BBC's US media partner CBS News has confirmed that Balogun's reinstatement came after US president Donald Trump called Fifa president Gianni Infantino on Thursday and spoke about the suspension, sources familiar with the call told CBS News." 

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cly99dxjkxxo

 

If we lived in a sane world, that'd end Infantino's career. 

 

Infantino is bloody impressive you have to admit.  To replace the supervillain that was Sepp Blatter and still manage to look more corrupt is incredible.

[davieG]

7 minutes ago, Jon the Hat said:

Infantino is bloody impressive you have to admit.  To replace the supervillain that was Sepp Blatter and still manage to look more corrupt is incredible.

And getting away with it - So far.

[Zear0]

18 minutes ago, Jon the Hat said:

Infantino is bloody impressive you have to admit.  To replace the supervillain that was Sepp Blatter and still manage to look more corrupt is incredible.

You rang..?

[leicsmac]

Just now, Zear0 said:

You rang..?

What kind of sodding timeline are we in where Sepp Blatter is the voice of reason?

[Aus Fox]

2 hours ago, Deeg67 said:

Sure, whatever.

 

I mean, Ronaldo had a (two-match) ban suspended for this WC outside the rules because of politics. So did Otamendi and Caicedo. I don't see anybody arguing Argentina or Portugal should be kicked out of the tournament. That's just idiotic on the face of it.

 

None of that makes it right, in any of the above cases. FIFA is hilariously corrupt and everyone knows it. But no impartial observer could look at that Balogun red and say it was justified in the first place. Messi did far worse and got nothing for it. Why? Corruption and politics. Or, as FIFA calls it, business as usual.

Were Portugal or Argentina guilty of political interference in the game? Did any of those teams have their president or politicians call fifa and directly ask for their players to be allowed to play?

Everyone was critical of the Ronaldo decision, but this is on a whole new level.Any political interference in the game should result in a suspension and teams being barred from competing in World Cup and FIFA sanctioned games - this has happened recently with Nepal, India, Kenya and others have all had relatively recent sanctions placed on them for political interference in the game and the governing of the game. 

It was a red card, just because another player got away with it from a poor refereeing decision, it doesn’t make this any less a red card. 

[davieG]

 

 

 

 

[Jon the Hat]

1 minute ago, Aus Fox said:

Were Portugal or Argentina guilty of political interference in the game? Did any of those teams have their president or politicians call fifa and directly ask for their players to be allowed to play?

Everyone was critical of the Ronaldo decision, but this is on a whole new level.Any political interference in the game should result in a suspension and teams being barred from competing in World Cup and FIFA sanctioned games - this has happened recently with Nepal, India, Kenya and others have all had relatively recent sanctions placed on them for political interference in the game and the governing of the game. 

It was a red card, just because another player got away with it from a poor refereeing decision, it doesn’t make this any less a red card. 

FIFA only cares about things which grow the game in revenue terms.  The US is a massive underexploited mountain of cash shining in front of them, and they will do whatever they can to get some of it.

[Aus Fox]

2 minutes ago, Jon the Hat said:

FIFA only cares about things which grow the game in revenue terms.  The US is a massive underexploited mountain of cash shining in front of them, and they will do whatever they can to get some of it.

Spot on - the only thing I’m surprised about this World Cup and I shouldn’t be really, is that they are so obvious about it.

They’re not even trying to hide it anymore.

[fox_up_north]

If you'd have said 10 years ago Sepp Blatter isn't all that bad everyone would have laughed

[davieG]

However, the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) said it was ‘astonished’ by FIFA's move to suspend Balogun's ban, and is ‘investigating all potential options’.

The Belgian federation will now formally written to FIFA to appeal the matter, and reserve the right to also lodge an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), talkSPORT understands.

The right to appeal has been granted, with both US Soccer and the Belgian federation asked to make submissions by 5am PST on Monday morning, ahead of the game in Seattle, scheduled to kick-off at 5pm PST.

According to The Athletic, the timeline has 'exasperated' the RBFA, who have not received the decision by FIFA to review, as it is not made public.

[Clogger_]

It makes you wonder how many other times politicians have influenced decisions. Great to know FIFA governance is about as strong as you'd guess. That decision is absolutely toxic for the game

Edited 6 July by Clogger_

[Stuntman_Mike]

51 minutes ago, Jon the Hat said:

FIFA only cares about things which grow the game in revenue terms.  The US is a massive underexploited mountain of cash shining in front of them, and they will do whatever they can to get some of it.

Like Ronaldo's ban being overturned at the start of this tournament so he wouldn't miss the group games.

[CosbehFox]

1 hour ago, Finnegan said:

"The BBC's US media partner CBS News has confirmed that Balogun's reinstatement came after US president Donald Trump called Fifa president Gianni Infantino on Thursday and spoke about the suspension, sources familiar with the call told CBS News." 

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cly99dxjkxxo

 

If we lived in a sane world, that'd end Infantino's career. 

 

A bit of rumble that it will. A lot of those who've got him in position from Asia/Africa won't have been fans of his treatment towards the USA. Just up to someone to have a go at dethroning him. 

[Finnegan]

5 minutes ago, CosbehFox said:

A bit of rumble that it will. A lot of those who've got him in position from Asia/Africa won't have been fans of his treatment towards the USA. Just up to someone to have a go at dethroning him. 

 

I somehow don't find it reassuring that he might lose his job over corruption because it wasn't the corruption the shadowy cabal of billionaires wanted him to do

 

[Danizen]

1 hour ago, leicsmac said:

What kind of sodding timeline are we in where Sepp Blatter is the voice of reason?

Blatter was forced out because of his corruption and replaced with someone a lot worse. I almost want to see Infantino go just to see what they can muster up to replace him. Probably The Penguin from Batman. 

[Trav Le Bleu]

My wife had a routine hospital appointment today, which has been cancelled due to shortage of staff due to illness 

 

Yeah, riiiiiggt.

[ClaphamFox]

1 hour ago, davieG said:

However, the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) said it was ‘astonished’ by FIFA's move to suspend Balogun's ban, and is ‘investigating all potential options’.

The Belgian federation will now formally written to FIFA to appeal the matter, and reserve the right to also lodge an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), talkSPORT understands.

The right to appeal has been granted, with both US Soccer and the Belgian federation asked to make submissions by 5am PST on Monday morning, ahead of the game in Seattle, scheduled to kick-off at 5pm PST.

According to The Athletic, the timeline has 'exasperated' the RBFA, who have not received the decision by FIFA to review, as it is not made public.

If the decision is not overturned I really hope the FA push hard for Quansah's ban to be suspended. Not because I think Quansah shouldn't be punished, but because I want to see how FIFA would handle he mental gymnastics required to justify Balogun being allowed to play and Quansah being made to serve his ban. We'd be doing the world a favour.

Edited 6 July by ClaphamFox

[davieG]

2 minutes ago, ClaphamFox said:

If the decision is not overturned I really hope the FA push hard for Quansah's ban to be suspended. Not because I think Quansah shouldn't be punished, but because I want to see how FIFA would handle he mental gymnastics required to justify Balogun being allowed to play and Quansah being made to serve his ban. We'd be doing the world a favour.

At the very least it should force them to come up with an explanation / reason why the ban was suspended

[ClaphamFox]

5 minutes ago, davieG said:

At the very least it should force them to come up with an explanation / reason why the ban was suspended

The US lawyers apparently argued that slow motion replays should not have been used in the VAR review of Balogun's challenge. So they either uncovered a legal loophole that everybody else has missed, or Infantino allowed a new legal loophole to be created to do his pal Trump a favour. Either way, given that Quansah was also sent off after a slow motion VAR review, the same rule should apply.

Edited 6 July by ClaphamFox

[Deeg67]

5 minutes ago, ClaphamFox said:

The US lawyers apparently argued that slow motion replays should not have been used in the VAR review of Balogun's challenge. So they either uncovered a legal loophole that everybody else has missed, or Infantino allowed a new legal loophole to be created to do his pal Trump a favour. Either way, given that Quansah was also sent off after a slow motion VAR review, the same rule should apply.

if I'm not mistaken the argument is not that the ref saw slow-mo during the VAR monitor review, but that he only saw slow-mo. He's supposed to have access to real-time replays and he didn't.

 

Either way it doesn't matter, the fundamental facts don't change. It was never a red (multiple reviews by third-parties have confirmed this) but once it was given, there's no way to overturn it without shattering what's left of the tournament's credibility. It was a screw-up when it happened and now Infantino has made it a thousand times worse. And the really sad thing is the U.S. has been much better than the Sprouts and really should be able to handle them whether Balogun plays or not.