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Martin Devlin: An open letter to the fatcats at FIFA

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Thu, 28 Mar 2019, 1:28pm
FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Photo / Getty Images
FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Photo / Getty Images

Martin Devlin: An open letter to the fatcats at FIFA

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Thu, 28 Mar 2019, 1:28pm

An open letter to the fatcats at FIFA.

Stop the 7-star hotel spending, can the first-class airfares, put your lives of largesse on hold for a minute and fix this sham of a sport.

Instead of just talking about being "For the GOOD of the game", how about doing something to fix its two biggest blights:

Flopping in the penalty box and the on-field abuse of referees.

The crowding around/push'n'shove/yelling in the face of the officials is an utter disgrace and something no other sport on earth tolerates.

So why does the (self-proclaimed) beautiful game refuse to do anything to stop it?

And as for diving in the area, it's become an absolute scourge mainly because those who do it are essentially allowed to get away with it.

The odd on-field yellow card and/or ref's caution is simply not working. 

The current consequence for this blatant game-wrecking cheating is clearly no deterrent and what needs to happen is the enforcement of an immediate actionable review with punishments appropriate enough to make these losers stop.

Because that's what these players are - losers, snivellers, whiners and cheats who do nothing but bring the game into disrepute.

My plan to rid their behaviour is both simple and instantly effective.

It's called the "Name and Shame" rule.

Appoint a panel that retrospectively reviews all such incidents then make that decision, alongside the footage, globally available for all to see and scorn.

Embarrassing these tossers into ceasing and desist with significant playing suspensions attached and this rampant, shameful practice of dangling a leg to initiate contact will end forthwith.

At least try it FIFA!

Because you can't continue to claim "For the Good of the Game" when you also condone its absolute shame.

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