Why not the ARs too?

As we discussed back in June in, Sex was the price to fix a match ... and lose a FIFA badge, we saw the reports of the Lebanese refereeing trio of referee Ali Sabbagh and assistants, Ali Eid and Abdallah Taleb, getting tried and jailed for the exchange of sex for attempting to throw a match in Singapore. They never did of course as they were removed previous to ever setting foot on the pitch.

Out today however was a report that FIFA Bans Lebanese Referee for Sexual Favours. This ban for the referee from FIFA is a lifetime and worldwide, effective immediately.

Good on FIFA, this is the right thing to do. 

But ...

Both ARs were only given a ban of 10 additional years each, where the referee was given a lifetime ban. Now, practically speaking, this may have been a lifetime ban as (although I can't find these guys online and their birth dates) another 10 years may have put them over 45, however it was close for the referee as well.

Each referee received the same "favors" per the cited article and were each jailed for the intent to match fix ... so why the difference in punishment?

My opinion ... give them all lifetime and world wide bans for their conduct.

It is often said, and I agree, the referee crew is a team that sinks or swims collectively. An AR has no less culpability that a referee does when it comes to match control or comportment. Certainly an AR has an opportunity to influence a match as they are required to make critical match decisions. We have seen this in recent months at the howling of goal/no goal decisions and the sudden need for GLT.

Given this, why should the ARs suffer less of a fate as the referee? FIFA I believe has again missed an opportunity to say "If you match fix, you are banned for life." While clear for the referee, to not follow through for the ARs gives the impression that (a) ARs are less likely to fix matches, (b) ARs are "worth less" than referees to The Game, (c) there are options other than "life" for such an offense, or (d) some combination of these.

In this case the ARs received the same "spoils" for the attempted match fixing they were all in on. Let them all suffer for their affront to The Game.

FIFA, please take this seriously.

Is soccer like sex??

Dutch prostitutes demand same pension perks as soccer players

Dutch prostitutes are demanding the same retirement tax benefits as professional footballers because of the "hard physical work" they do, according to news reports.


The campaign to secure better retirement rights is being run by Freya, a company that wants to run a number of brothels in the central Dutch city of Utrecht.

Wil Post, a lawyer for Freya told Dutch newspaper Volkskrant on Tuesday that "Footballers and prostitutes both do a difficult physical job that they cannot do their whole life. Therefore, they would like to be able to save as much as they can." ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of NBC.

Kicking Back Comments: What was interesting to me about this article was the analogy. I know football is demanding and requires "hard physical work" as detailed in the article, but was curious why that was the first arrow out of the quiver to make the argument.

I don't think the intent was to liken the two, albeit both professions are legal in the Netherlands. I also don't know how else to go at the argument ... construction workers ... dock workers ... ship builders ... I dunno.

It may have genuinely been an attempt at flattery as it is clear that soccer players are a treasured class in the Netherlands, as athletes from the "Big 4 Sports" are here in the US.

Either way, it certainly got me to raise an eyebrow.

Sex was the price to fix a match ... and lose a FIFA badge

Match fixing: ref Ali Sabbagh and assisstants get jailed

Lebanese football referee referee Ali Sabbagh was sentenced with a six months’ improsonment today for match fixing. His assistant referees were sentenced with three months jail time, says Channel News Asia.

The referees all pled guilty on the first day of trial for accepting free sex from a gambling-linked global syndicate. In return they were supposed to rig a match between Asian Football Confederation Cup match (second international level for club teams, like Europa League; JtH) on April 3 between Singapore-based club Tampines Rovers and India’s East Bengal. Right before the match the match officials were pulled out and a new refereeing trio was appointed. ...

See the whole story here, from Dutch Referee.

Kicking Back Comments: How pathetic is this? A good "blow by blow" account is here and details just how awful this was.

Honestly I can't get me head around this. A referee works a lifetime for a FIFA badge to get the opportunity to referee at the highest levels, and yet is willing to breach everything that badge stands for, for a one night stand with a prostitute.

Incredible.

But also an affirmation, referees are only too human.