In response to an error by an official during Mexico’s 3-1 loss to Argentina on Sunday, FIFA announced Monday that it is banning instant replay on giant World Cup stadium video screens.
After Johannesburg’s Soccer City Stadium screens showed Argentina striker Carlos Tevez to be offsides while scoring a goal against Mexico yesterday, angry Mexico players confronted referee Roberto Rosetti about the non-call. Rosetti let the mistake stand and Argentina went on to win 3-1.
FIFA spokesman Nicolas Maingot said Monday that replaying the incident was “a clear mistake.”
“This will be corrected and we will have a closer look into that. We will work on this and be a bit more, I would say, tight on this for the games to be played.”
South Africa’s World Cup organizing committee spokesman Jermaine Craig said, “The goal was awarded and it happened relatively quickly. In retrospect, maybe it shouldn’t have been shown. It was shown and unfortunately there is nothing we can do about that.”
FIFA’s move is surprising only in that it came this late. Poor officiating has been the main storyline of the tournament since its outset, so you would’ve thought FIFA would’ve tried to cover up the controversy sooner.
So did World Cup officials have a role in the censorship?
Considering that officials from Sunday’s Mexico-Argentina game have inexplicably yet to speak to FIFA about their performance, that would be no.
FIFA has not yet received feedback from its officials at the match about a mass confrontation between coaches and players behind the Mexico bench as the teams left the field at halftime.
Italian referee Rosetti was at the center of a melee trying to separate heated conversations that included Argentina coach Diego Maradona.
Next step for FIFA: Banning game telecast replays.
You think I’m joking?
12:56 pm on June 28th, 2010
The NCAA tournament does not show replays on blocking/charging fouls and has not for decades.
1:20 pm on June 28th, 2010
They just don’t want those in the stadium watching this BORING and ridiculus jogging match on the big screen to fall asleep in their seats like those of us who may have accidently tuned it in on their tv sets at home while channel surfing. About as exciting as watching a “paint drying” competition….paaaaaainful
1:40 pm on June 28th, 2010
This isn’t about covering up controversy this is about protecting the life of an individual, the ref, who made a mistake (or bet on the game if his last name is Donaghy).
2:10 pm on June 28th, 2010
These are goals. Not fouls.
3:12 pm on June 28th, 2010
I hate the idea of no instant replays on anything as it enhances the game experience. I do however realize that it could incite violence. I have tons of issues with FIFA but this is not one of them.
4:11 pm on June 28th, 2010
FIFA is there to serve/shield/protect itself rather than look after and enhance the experience for its fan base. In fact, it doesn’t need to look after its fan base; just like the BCS and College Football, the fans will grumble, but will buy tickets anyway.
5:16 pm on June 28th, 2010
None of this should come as a surprise. International sports has always been about corruption, bribery, and self-dealing. Like the EU, the UN, ‘Free Trade’, and the NGOs, their real purpose is mutual self-aggrandizement. That they run roughshod over the rights, sensibilities, and values of the rest of us is just something that we’re supposed to tolerate, for such will-of-the-wisps and sentimental treacle as ‘peace’, ‘brotherhood’, ‘diversity’, ‘ecumenism’ and the like. Their new avatar is the CEO of BP, he of the “little people,” who are we.
6:45 pm on June 28th, 2010
No surprise. Crap sport, crap officiating, crap hooligan animals for fans. and don’t get me started on that damn horn.
8:59 pm on June 28th, 2010
Biggest sport in the world?
Biggest joke in the world.
10:20 pm on June 28th, 2010
wake up and smell the coffee you 15th century morons who don’t like football (or soccer how you call it in the land of make-believe) . watch your idiotic golf, baseball, etc and let the rest of the world have fun.
10:34 am on June 29th, 2010
I don’t get why people who don’t like soccer always comment on it. Are you really that worried about it’s growing popularity?
And Brooks: officiating has not been an issue since the start of the tournament. It has been an issue since the US got robbed in the second game.
11:26 am on June 30th, 2010
i know a lot of americans that play and like the sport,and are intrested in the game and there are those that dont,they are probably the ones that never had the athletic ability,to make any team in high school,because it takes an athlete to appreciate,the atheltic ability,stamina and skill that (football because you actually use you foot)players,i love this game,but i respect basketball and american football,because,i know im an athlete