FIFA has questions ...

FIFA Asks WCup Host Russia to Explain Anti-Gay Law

IFA has asked authorities in 2018 World Cup host Russia for "clarification and more details" about a new anti-gay law, joining the International Olympic Committee in seeking answers from Moscow.

Legislation prohibiting "propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations among minors" has provoked an international furor since President Vladimir Putin signed it off in June and sparked growing concern at the IOC leading to the Sochi Winter Games in February.

The two most influential organizations in world sports are both now asking Russia how the law would be enforced during their marquee events.

See the whole story here, courtesy of ABC.

Kicking Back Comments: IOC aside, where there is clear political posturing on the part of the candidates, Russia certainly will have some 'splain to do to FIFA, and should be prepared to have its sovereign law changed for the duration of the tournament.

Some of the comments were funny as people actually think sovereign law is just that when FIFA comes to town. Sorry to say, it is not, and for 4 weeks in July, we will see (I am guessing) a kinder, gentler, Russia.

Angel on (The Rays') Shoulder

There are relatively few opportunities for real trickery outside of feigning fouls in soccer.

One could certainly be penalties, or kicks from the mark. Another may be pass back to the goal keeper. There may be some opportunities during some set plays too, particularly corner kicks where I have seen some trick set plays used, at times with some success.

In all cases however, a referee has to be ready for it, and know what the appropriate result needs to be, without regard to what everyone else thinks.

Take a look at the clip below from the Rays v. LA the other day, and how nearly everyone in the park, media included, got it wrong, and it took super, duper, extra slo mo several times for folks to figure it out. Some I'm sure still don't get it.

The Rays of course, pulled it off to perfection, and Angel Hernandez had it the whole way, finally to the credit of the media, even without instant replay or some elaborate sensing device to tell us where the ball was.

Hat tip to Angel Hernandez for an outstanding call.

That Bites

Suarez refuses to say sorry and still believes Liverpool have betrayed him over broken promises

Luis Suarez's relationship with Liverpool will hit a new low this week when he refuses to apologise for his controversial attempts to engineer a move to Arsenal.

Sources close to the Uruguayan believe his relationship with manager Brendan Rodgers is beyond repair after the bitter transfer wrangle that has overshadowed the Merseysiders’ pre-season.

Suarez is training alone at Liverpool’s Melwood HQ, and Rodgers insists he will not be allowed to rejoin his team-mates until he apologises for last week’s public outburst, in which he made it clear he wanted to quit Anfield for the Emirates. ...

See the whole story here, from Mail Online.

Kicking Back Comments: With obvious sarcasm regarding Suarez biting incidents x2 (see below video), I have to tip my hat to managers as well. We talk about player management here a fair bit, but sometimes neglect the actual managers of these folks.

I can't even begin to imagine the nightmare that is going on inside Liverpool right now with this issue. Also, I'm sure it does not help that there is more than a few rumors about the sale of Suarez, and for that matter Liverpool themselves.

While everyone in the organization is saying "... we're not selling ..." it would seem clear that with some of Henry's other deals, and the fact that Liverpool is not doing as well as was expected, I would not be surprised to hear Liverpool on the block soon.

Now, imagine a manager of that team ... out of control players, owners not happy, and a team not doing well.

Yipes ... makes looking like managing (2) teams for (90) minutes fairly pale.

We are the Borg ...

... come on, say it with me.

For any like me who are fans of Star Trek, we know the Borg as a ruthless culture that assimilates everything in its path. They usually entered with a greeting as shown from the below video.

I had this palpable thought that referees are going in this direction when I saw the video from the 2013 MLS all star game, seen below.



So lets take a quick tally:

• Beeper flags to get signals from ARs - check.
• Headset to communicate with ARs and Alternate official - check.
• Stereo microphone to record sound during the match - check.
• Headset camera to record video during the match - check.
• Goal line technology to indicate when a ball crosses the goal line - check (soon).

This is crazy folks ... are we referees, or are we simply puppets for all this technology?

Seriously though, do we really need all of this to manage a match?

I get that some of this, like the camera, is for entertainment purposes, for now. But when will we start using it for "instant replay" or even when it gets much better, real time discipline.

Don't think so? Just wait another 10 years and see what we get. By the 2022 World Cup, I think we will see less human, and more Deus ex machina.

It's funny too, FIFA and other cry, and cry for "less mechanical referees", yet right before our eyes we see the opposite. Just have a look.

We are the Borg ...

Locutus of Borg circa 24th Century

Professional soccer referee circa 2013

Laser focus ... at 16?

So as many of you know, I am an amateur bike racer on the weekends ... well actually a lot more given the amount I train ... but compete on the weekends.

I was at a local criterium series the other day, and in the race I compete in, there are usually a group of very talented junior teams. These kids, and they are kids, are 14 - 17 years old, and are already tremendous riders that are very well coached.

I was talking to one of the coaches in what they are looking for in a young rider, and attempting to glean a parallel to young referees.

I was not disappointed.

He mentioned the #1 quality was that of commitment. Not genes, not "raw athletic ability", not a fancy bike that was bought for them, commitment and a desire to get better.

I reflected on my own career growing up and how, at times, I was supremely un-focused at 16 years old with my refereeing.

It can be somewhat "unnatural" in have someone at such a young age, have such a laser focus, particularly for something that will take a very long time to develop, like refereeing.

For the referees out there who are youths themselves, I salute you. It ain't easy growing up, and being asked to have such focus at such a young age.

For the referees who are a bit more seasoned, and working with these young referees, take some extra time and look out for these younger referees.

You might just make their day knowing they have a friend who has been there.

Again ... No "plan B" from FIFA

US not approached to host World Cups
The United States has not been approached about hosting the 2014 or 2022 World Cups should concerns about security or weather force them to be moved.

After widespread protests marred last month's Confederations Cup, FIFA president Sepp Blatter said additional unrest during next summer's World Cup could mean that Brazil was the wrong choice for host. FIFA also has had concerns about the pace of construction, fearing that some stadiums won't be ready in time for the tournament. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of Fox Soccer.

Kicking Back Comments: It's too bad actually, as I think FIFA should, just as part of doing business, have a Plan B for the World Cup. While I am bias and think the US is ready made for the opportunity  there are certainly other countries capable at the drop of a proverbial hat to do this as well.

By there way, in the article it tossed in there that Mr. Gulati sits on FIFA ExComm. While he was not approached to host in lieu of Qatar, he is a very, very skilled politician, and one who I believe has the best interests of The Game at heart.

Keep a sharp eye out there folks ... I think we will see more.

Cheers to the FA!

FA anniversary friendly at Wembley will honour English referees

England’s friendly with Scotland as part of the Football Association’s 150th anniversary will also celebrate the high esteem in which English refereeing is held around the world.

The four officials all hail from nations where English referees have overseen World Cup finals. The FA has invited the German referee, Felix Brych, to oversee the first ever international in Europe with Hawk-Eye goal-line technology. Who said the FA does not have a sense of humour?

England are the only nation to have provided four World Cup final (or final game) referees: George Reader in Brazil 1950, William Ling in Switzerland 1954, Jack Taylor in West Germany 1974 and Howard Webb in South Africa in 2010. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of The Telegraph.

Kicking Back Comments: A fitting tribute for a talented group of referees.

It is an opportunity lost however for US Soccer in its own centennial year. How amazing would it have been to honor such greats such as Socha, Mauro, Angeles, Baharmast, and Hall among others ...

While the US does not have a World Cup final to its name, it has far less to do with ability than it does politics.

Too bad too, as US referees at that level are, measure for measure, some of the very best in the world.

Hey look at me ...

Jamaican Soccer Player Suspended by FIFA for Failed Drug Test

World soccer governing body FIFA provisionally suspended a member of Jamaica’s national team for failing a drug test during World Cup qualifying.

FIFA said in a statement the player and a Jamaica team official, neither of whom were identified, were banned for an initial period of 30 days and that an investigation has been opened.

The player tested positive in his “A” sample for a prohibited substance following a qualifying match in Honduras on June 11 and has waived his right to have the “B” sample analyzed, FIFA said. ...

See the whole article here, courtesy of Bloomberg.

Kicking Back Comments: With all the doping news going around right now, I wonder if FIFA just wanted a headline to show they were doing "something about doping."

Who knows ... but I am curious, if this was a case of PEDs, or the other recreational drugs (that are WADA prohibited).

Either way, the timing of the two stories from FIFA ... and all the other doping news is ... interesting. 

FIFA on the big screen

Depardieu back in Paris for FIFA film after fallout with French

Veteran French actor Gerard Depardieu is shooting a film in Paris for the first time since he sparked a huge outcry by leaving France for tax reasons and taking Russian nationality.

In an exclusive interview with AFP, the 64-year-old film star said he did not move out of the country to escape the taxman but to flee "the way governments use the money they take." ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of Yahoo! Entertainment.

Kicking Back Comments: While I have no public comment of the reasons for Depardieu's departure from France, I am excited (yes excited) to see this movie. I have great respect for Jules Rimet and am curious to see how they portrait one of the greatest men in The Game.

I expect it will be a straight to BluRay deal, and out in time for the 2014 Jules Rimet World Cup.

Upgrade Kudos

As we have done here in the past, please join me in congratulating
John Eckart for the achievement of attaining Grade 7 (Referee 1st Class).

Well done!!

This is getting boring

FIFA warns Brazil's WC organizers

With the World Cup less than a year away, FIFA pledged to increase its monitoring of stadium construction in Brazil. The world governing body wants all 12 stadiums ready for the June 2014 kickoff of soccer's showcase event, FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said Friday.

There were several delays in stadium delivery for the Confederations Cup this year, and FIFA has made it clear that it will not tolerate the same problems again. Brazil needs to deliver the final six World Cup venues by the end of the year. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of Fox Sports.

Kicking Back Comments: Can we just jump to the end when a couple of the stadia are not complete and FIFA is left scrambling? I hope I am wrong, but this seems to be the inevitable outcome here as there seems to be no end in sight for this.

What really stinks, is that FIFA really would seem to have no other option than whip the organizers, then distance themselves when it all goes wrong. I would find it hard to believe that FIFA has, and Brazil has accepted, a second source for getting these stadia completed in time.

While there will certainly be a happy face on it, I am sad to think there will be many failings of the host country to complete their obligations, and FIFA impotent to help in any way. 

I'm Baaaaaaaack ...

Well folks I am happy to be back and certainly will have a few interesting stories from a week in the mountains.

One was on the drive back today and listening to (sports) radio and catching up on some of the other goings on in the world.

As you can imagine, I was keenly fixated on A-Rod and others who later today (August 5th, 2013) should be receiving "punishment" from MLB for violating the PED rules.

Given my recent stance, and in large part my current stance, on Lance, which I will expand on, I am finding the whole incident farcical.

What was even funnier was FIFA's recent (August 3rd, 2013) reaction to the "doping scandals" that seem to be rocking every major sport right now, which was (it's only) cocaine and marijuana that the majority of players are getting caught for.

Wow.

See the whole article here, from Yahoo! Sports, and the statement directly from FIFA stating (in their opinion) "... their is no systemic doping ... ."

I found three things interesting.

First, from the FIFA article was the clear link to cycling and doping and how FIFA seems to be taking some queues from it. It is odd that cycling is "leading the way" in cleaning up all sports from such activities ... at least non-US sports.

Second, was the statement from FIFA CMO Jiri Dvorak who stated that:
"For me as a scientist I believe in facts and figures, not in speculation: We have no evidence that there is systematic doping."

I don't know how hard they are looking honestly. If there are no biological passports in place, as their is with the UCI, and FIFA is relying on "random" drug tests, as an engineer looking to solve problems (not a scientist who seeks the truth through experimentation), is FIFA looking to monitor, or just turn a blind eye to what really might be going on?

Finally, the blasé statement that most of the (70 to 90 out of 30000 samples) come back with "recreational drugs" and that does not alarm FIFA. Listen, I'm no prude, and certainly not a fool, but a few things came to mind.

First, are these recreational drugs on the banned list? While I don't think marijuana is a PED, except maybe for a brownie eating contest, I am not so sure about cocaine. In fact a very quick check of the WADA site indicates ... these substances are banned at all times. So while there may be no rampant PED use ... there is certainly a significant about of abuse of WADA banned substances.

Second, as the FIFA CMO, where is the outrage that this stuff is bad for you? I mean come on ... my sports heroes as role model fantasy left the station years ago, but a MD and CMO should at least have thrown in a ... you know kids this is not good for you ... statement.

Third, how is this not a problem? .3% Are popped for a WADA drug violation ... where is the line?

In my head it is ZERO. Anything bigger is an issue. Now, is there a PED epidemic in football? I dunno, but unless FIFA starts looking they won't ever know ... and that may be the plan (a la MLB). BUT, what about all the other drug use? Why isn't that considered systemic? Should it be?

Again, I dunno, but for FIFA I think they need to at least acknowledge the non-PED drug use. 

Programming Note

Photo Courtesy of RSNT

Friends,

Over the next week or so I will be off finishing my training for an upcoming mountain pass race.

Remember that training is a year round proposition with any sport, and while my similarly titled note on February 23rd this year focused on early season fitness, now is the time to be focused on maintenance fitness, or even in my case (and maybe yours) another build phase for upcoming challenges.


Gone are the days of getting fit by refereeing. It is now imperative to get fit to referee.

While there are tales of folks who "work themselves into form" by competing, if you expect to excel, you need to be fit from the start.

Please enjoy the archives to the right, and we'll back at it again!

More Blowback for Winter World Cup

FIFA Exec and Premier League Chief Hit Out at 2022 Qatar Winter World Cup

COMMENTARY | Little by little, the foundation of the 2022 QatarWorld Cup is crumbling down. It was but a little over a week ago that FIFA president Sepp Blatter admitted what we all knew was true several years back, that a World Cup cannot take place in Qatarduring the hot summer months. Now, multiple noteworthy individuals are coming forward to voice their displeasure about an event that is becoming more and more a debacle nine years before it is even set to begin. ...

See the whole article here, courtesy of Yahoo! Sports.

Kicking Back Comments: Well, I'm not at all surprised by these reactions. In fact, I am a little surprised regarding how muted some are.

I think that will change however if FIFA actually goes ahead and moves the 2022 Cup to November. Not sure how that is done procedurally (EX-Comm vote, Presidential FIAT?) but Sepp's recent comments may have been a trial balloon to gauge reaction.

As we can see, it is not going well ... and I don't expect will if FIFA actually moves the dates.

Gotta Talk

I caught this video when I was doing research for an article regarding the (mis)use of referees in commercials. (I am getting bored of the Axiron TV Commercial using a baseball ump for low testosterone treatment)

In it, it is clear just how much communication is necessary to effectively manage players.

When listening, ask yourself, do you talk that much during a match to manage things?

Should you?

Happy Thanksgiving!!

FIFA now considering November World Cup

FIFA is now planning to host the 2022 World Cup in Qatar in November rather than January, a source at the governing body told kicker. FIFA president Sepp Blatter has confirmed that he intends to ask for the tournament to be held in the winter as temperatures in the Gulf state can reach 50°C during the summer.

Critics of the decision to award Qatar the tournament flagged from the outset that conditions would make hosting the event at the traditional time impossible and have called for the bidding process to be reviewed. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of ESPN.

Kicking Back Comments: This is going to wreak havoc across the European leagues. I wonder of Qatar still would have won (assuming a fair bid) if this fact would have been disclosed BEFORE the vote was taken.

If I had to guess, I would bet, it would not have.

Can we review this process please? It continues to stink to the heavens.

Welcome Back!

Fifa lifts a global ban on Cameroon for government interference

Fifa has lifted its global ban on Cameroon after a normalisation committee began its work on Monday to run the country's football federation.

It is being headed by former Minister of Education, Sports, Joseph Owona.

Earlier this month, Fifa banned Cameroon for governmental interference into the running of the country's football. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of the BBC.

Kicking Back Comments: Does skimming pond scum off the top make the water any more drinkable?

This is a general statement of course, but one that ran through my mind here.

Playing the "black card"

I just don't know where to start with this one.

I could use it as a warning to referees everywhere that there is no such thing as a "friendly match."
What referee gets prepared for a mass confrontation event during a badminton match?

Seriously, how do you deal with something so extraordinary that it has only happened (per the announcers) once or twice in history!

While the referee apparently got the call right ... I wonder how much training is given for such an event.

I was waiting for Hulk Hogan to charge in and rip his shirt off.



I could go down the path of a horribly named penalty ... I mean a "black card"? Why not just say disqualification? Then again, as I listen to how a caution is described in MLS stadia across the US it is generally a "yellow card, caution, warning."

I get the origin ... but ... I dunno ... any sport that uses a shuttlecock is just weird to me. Then again I ride around in a colorful spandex suit that practically shows what religion I am.

I had to chuckle when the female announcer let an explicative go at :17. But the more I thought about it the more I knew they would not be fined as no one was watching. Then again more than a couple MLB teams are suffering this right now.

I think my overall point while trying to be somewhat tongue in cheek, is sport is sport, and it does not matter if it kids playing youth anything, or adults playing professional something, a referee has to always be ready for anything.

Even a hockey game breaking out in the NHL.

FIFA loses TV fight

Fifa loses free-to-air World Cup TV battle

Fifa and Uefa have lost an appeal against a European ruling that the World Cup and Euro Championships should be shown on free-to-air TV in the UK.

In 2011, the European General Court said the UK could keep the events on a list of "protected" events of national sporting interest broadcast for free.

It means the two tournaments cannot be sold exclusively to pay-TV firms.

Fifa and Uefa had appealed, after saying they could not sell the events fairly for their real value. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of the BBC.

Kicking Back Comments: There is a (business) part of me that feel for FIFA in this case. They legitimately own the rights to the World Cup and as such can reasonably exercise these rights as they see fit within legal and moral bounds.

Also, FIFA certainly has the right to make money, while I typically don't like how they use it, there is nothing to stop them from exercising this commercial right in a way they want, not just to a public broadcasting outfit. It is reasonable they could make more from a pay-per-view channel.

The argument that won the day was interesting. It was a "crown jewel" argument where the World Cup is such an event, a "crown jewel" of sport that it MUST be free for all (i.e. on a non pay channel). Similar to the Olympics or other such World Wide events (Le Tour?) it must be free for all.

It's a great argument, and one that I agree with.

It is ironic too, as FIFA has done a tremendous job marketing The Game around the world. So good in fact, they made the case against themselves here.

Law 11 Redux ... courtesy of US Soccer