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- Boria Majumdar Column | FIFA World Cup Controversy & Lionel Messi Impact
10 hours ago
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Boria Majumdar, co-author of Sachin Tendulkar’s autobiography and sports journalist
The world has been divided into two parts over allegations of bias in the FIFA World Cup and many types of questions are being asked. As for whether FIFA actually has any kind of bias in Argentina’s favor and is an attempt being made to give special dispensation to Lionel Messi? Is Messi’s popularity making referees and other officials more lenient towards him and Argentina?
Is this affecting the principle of level playing field in competition? Are teams with lesser-known players suffering the consequences? Is this affecting the reputation of the tournament and increasing bitterness in the football community? And has FIFA taken enough steps to address these fears? etc etc.
Fair play is the first requirement in an event like the FIFA World Cup. Although allegations regarding refereeing are nothing new, the number of errors made in this competition has also not been less. The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system remains a subject of intense debate and when it comes to consistency in decisions, a number of major mistakes can be made.
Former Indian footballer Baichung Bhutia has clearly said that Iran’s goal which was canceled while playing against Egypt was unfair. The dealings with Iran also increased this dispute further. Its players were deported to Mexico immediately after the match ended. Perhaps this was a geopolitical necessity in the backdrop of the ongoing war in West Asia.
The case of Iran was not an exception. The decisions given against Egypt and Switzerland in the matches played with Argentina were also controversial. Whereas sports should be beyond doubt. This is a basic condition of a big tournament and it is on this front that the World Cup has been embroiled in controversies.
The phone conversation between Trump and the FIFA President was also completely unnecessary and a distraction. Although FIFA clarified that the President has no role in the decision-making process, this clarification also did not send a good message regarding public perception.
After all, why should there be a need for talks between a country’s leader and the FIFA President on any sports-related issue? Doesn’t this increase the apprehensions of the opposition teams? Any kind of political interference in sports is not acceptable and this incident was enough to sow the seeds of doubt.
The tournament has now reached the decisive phase and there is a lot at stake. FIFA must appoint the best referees for these last few matches and ensure that every decision is beyond doubt. He cannot allow his reputation to be tarnished in any way. Although these allegations can be dismissed as conspiracy theories, doing so every time will not be enough. The voices being raised on this issue are becoming increasingly loud and now there is a need for more vigilance.
For me personally, inconsistency in decisions has been the biggest issue. For example, just look at the two penalty cases. One penalty was given against England and Harry Kane in the match with Mexico, while the other was in favor of Argentina in the match played against Egypt. If we compare these two cases, there is a clear inconsistency in the decisions. Both were decisions that could have gone in either direction. In the case of Mexico, the decision went in favor of the host team at the Azteca Stadium.
It can be understood that big names in the game cannot be ignored and the game cannot run without these big stars. But the most important question is of perception. Your image should be completely fair in the eyes of fans. There should be no room for doubt and this is what FIFA needs to ensure ahead of the final on the 19th.
The answer to the question of whether FIFA will be able to do this can decide the legacy of this World Cup. The importance of this issue is undeniable. Ultimately, what is more important than who wins and who loses is that the game should be won and this is possible only when the competition remains beyond doubt at every level.
FIFA must appoint the best referees for the last few matches and ensure that every decision is beyond doubt. He cannot allow any stain on his reputation. This is necessary for the game. (These are the author’s own views)
