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0 Subject: too late mr. Blatter....too late.....

Posted by: IRRIDUCIBILI LAZIO
- [221441621] Thu, Jun 20, 2002, 18:00

ROME, June 20 (Reuters) - FIFA president Sepp Blatter has launched a strong condemnation of refereeing at the World Cup, saying Italy had been the main victims on the way to their shock quarter-final elimination.

But he denied media allegations that FIFA had been part of a plot to oust Italy in favour of hosts South Korea, calling on the Italians to show dignity in defeat.

The head of soccer's ruling body also told Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport that he would demand changes in the way referees were selected in future, with the emphasis on ability rather than nationality.

'The refereeing has been the only negative aspect of this World Cup,' Blatter said, replying to howls of protest in Italy over a string of controversial decisions which eventually saw them knocked out by South Korea on Tuesday.

'The (referees) have been quite good, but the (linesmen) have been a disaster, especially when it comes to offside...they haven't even realised that it is better to award an offside goal than to disallow a good goal.'

Italy complained bitterly after they were knocked out, saying a string of mistakes by referees had combined to sink the three-times world champions.

TOTTI 'DIVE'

The team had five goals controversially disallowed during their four matches and also had striker Francesco Totti sent off in the South Korea game for allegedly diving in the penalty area - a decision that Blatter condemned.

'Sadly, and I have suffered greatly because of it, there have been exceptional circumstances and coincidences that saw many errors consecutively made against the same team, Italy,' he said.

'Totti's sending off against Korea was neither a penalty nor a dive. A referee with a feeling (for the game) would not have shown him the card, bearing in mind the same player had already been booked.'

The Ecuadorian referee, Byron Moreno, has defended the sending-off.

'I would do it again. I don't even have to watch the replays...Totti dived,' he said in an interview with Il Messaggero newspaper published on Thursday.

Blatter told La Gazzetta: 'A World Cup that receives the best players and teams in the world should be overseen by the best referees regardless of their nationality...from now on we will call in the best, full stop, even if they come from just a handful of countries.'


Damn, it didn't need a scientist to understand that games between the best world's players had to be whistled by the best refs and linesman.
I understood it, a lot of persons understood it far before the world cup, but the personal paid by fifa to design refs didn't undertood it..... it's quite crappy, isn't it??
1Micheal
      ID: 567421419
      Thu, Jun 20, 2002, 18:07
How many threads are you going to start about this???

"But he denied media allegations that FIFA had been part of a plot to oust Italy in favour of hosts South Korea, calling on the Italians to show dignity in defeat."

2Samuli
      ID: 3104968
      Thu, Jun 20, 2002, 18:15
Excuse me, how many threads about Mr. Blatter's comments have there been before this one? Strangely enough I must've missed them all!
3IRRIDUCIBILI LAZIO
      ID: 221441621
      Thu, Jun 20, 2002, 18:16
it's an important stuff, i think, fifa's commissioner talking is not something to pass on, whatever he says. He's right about recalling us, but as you can see he's on my own convinctions about the refs......anyway, if this isn't of your taste you're not costricted to read it, just pass it and everything will be ok. it's not a thread based on my opinions, it's a news reported.
4Micheal
      ID: 567421419
      Thu, Jun 20, 2002, 18:50
Samuli

This couldn't have been in another thread that has already been started about Italy's loss. I'm sure you haven't missed those since you have about 100 post' in each.
5leggestand
      ID: 501029817
      Fri, Jun 21, 2002, 10:52
I think it is rather stupid to take just one ref from each country. Its not rocket science to figure that the second and third ref from certain country's could be better than the first ref from another country. Thats like saying the NBA all-star team can only have one player from each team - either Shaq or Kobe can't go. At least Blatter is taking a step in the right direction - hopefully they will see this through.
6Old Man Greene
      ID: 4240256
      Thu, Jun 26, 2003, 19:37
Test
7Zio
      ID: 13255303
      Tue, Jul 08, 2003, 11:39
Michael,
There's a difference "showing dignity in defeat" (shut up and don't draw anymore attention to to this sham is what they really mean), and questioning the integrity of the game. If the refs we're slanted against Italy, wouldn't you agree that something should be done about it to protect the integrity of future World Cups?
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