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FIFA's Broken Promises Enrage Oceania


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Sunday 29th June 2003

By James Ellaby

FIFA's decision to award Oceania an automatic qualification place in the next World Cup seemed to herald a new era for football in the area. After years of struggling just to stay afloat, Soccer Australia could start to build for the future, based on the strong likelihood that the Socceroos would take that place. However, it has turned out that the decision was not as final as they believed.

It was oveturned on Saturday when FIFA's executive committee voted overwhelmingly 22-1 to give Oceania's slot to the South American confederation, who had argued that they deserved it as holders Brazil would not gain automatic qualification. It means that, once again, the winners of the Oceania qualifiers will have to take part in a play-off if they are to reach the World Cup.

Australia lost to Uruguay last time, and coach Frank Farina was furious at FIFA's decision: "What's the point of having an Oceania confederation?," Farina asked. "They've got no respect for the region. It's a disgrace. You don't need to be a brain surgeon to realise it's a political decision. FIFA should tear up its motto 'for the good of the game' and throw it out the window."

"There is no justice in all of this," Soccer Australia's acting chief executive Stefan Kamasz said. "I find it quite outrageous that in December, FIFA president Sepp Blatter was saying that now Oceania have access to the World Cup, an injustice had been corrected. On Saturday, Lennart Johansson was saying they had corrected a mistake (by reversing the decision). I ask you, where is the justice that Sepp Blatter has been talking about? If we are talking politics, it was interesting that Lennart Johansson's confederation got the 2006 World Cup because of the way in which the Oceania representative acted.

"Obviously, now they have got that, it is a case of 'don't worry about Oceania and look after your other mates for the future'. I can't believe that FIFA would engage in this sort of behaviour. It indicates where Oceania sits in the grand scheme of things as far as FIFA is concerned, despite the rhetoric of trying to develop the sport down here. When it comes to the crunch and ensuring the powerful nations have a say, we realise where we sit in the pecking order. When FIFA made the decision to give Oceania direct qualification in December, Soccer Australia was in a much worse position than it is now. There had been mass defections from Soccer Australia, there was an enquiry into Soccer Australia's solvency, there was a government enquiry underway and a projected shortfall of four million Australian dollars.

"Today, Soccer Australia is profitable, we have turned around the financial position, we satisfied the concern into our solvency and the Frank Lowy interim board will be elected on July 19. FIFA knows all of that, so any purported suggestions of disarray is a complete furfy. The turnaround in the last six months has been quite incredible. FIFA knows this, so there is absolutely no doubt that to raise that as an issue is looking for reasons to justify a politically motivated decision that quite obviously satisfies COMNEBOL."

It is clear that this decision will have a dramatic effect on Soccer Australia, which had been looking like finally moving away from the financial chaos of its recent history. Without the certainty of an automatic qualifying place, many commercial deals which had been set up will collapse. Football in Oceania cannot afford to miss out on yet another World Cup, but it seems that FIFA would not mind if they did, which is why there is so much anger Down Under at what perceive as broken promises.

"A pretty move, for the love of God."

Eduardo Galeano

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How the decision was made was compolete furfy, but the ultimate result is the only sane one.

It's about football, not raising corporate funds or developing football in a region. If it was about this, then the USA should be given an automatic spot. What about Bhutan in Asia, or some of the poorer African countries, who would love to have Austalia's opportunities for football success. Earn your way by beating a decent team, then we'll cheer for the Socceroos!

A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change

the subject. -- Winston Churchill

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Beachesl, it's about regional representation. And right now the South Pacific has zero representation. That's a big part of the world. But your side of the argument has obviously won for now.

Mimglow, Ottawa

_________________________

Where are the weapons of mass destruction?

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quote:Originally posted by beachesl

How the decision was made was compolete furfy, but the ultimate result is the only sane one.

It's about football, not raising corporate funds or developing football in a region. If it was about this, then the USA should be given an automatic spot. What about Bhutan in Asia, or some of the poorer African countries, who would love to have Austalia's opportunities for football success. Earn your way by beating a decent team, then we'll cheer for the Socceroos!

A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change

the subject. -- Winston Churchill

No one will watch a World Cup unless other nations improve the sports standing. It's hard to do it in Australia or New Zealand when other traditional sports are more popular than soccer. Soccer is reliant on the bandwagon effect as much as here.

I wouldn't call some the South American teams or most of the Asian teams "decent".

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maybe oceania should just qualify together with asia and be done with it. the nations there are rubbish and the only team that can put together any kind of side is australia. and why should they get automatic qualification just because they are the best team in their region when they can't even beat the 5th best team in the south american region?

no, oceania getting an automatic spot is bollocks. i agree, they shouldn't have to qualify against south america tho. they should have to qualify against the final asian or concacaf qualifier.

just abolish the oceania region and put them with asia, it's not like it would add that many games or that much travel. they could run it like concacaf and play a few lower side regional qualifiers, then a larger federation tournament to decide who qualifies that way. asia/oceania should only get 3 clubs.

there ain't gonna be any middle any more.

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Guest Jeffery S.
quote:Originally posted by Mimglow

Beachesl, it's about regional representation. And right now the South Pacific has zero representation. That's a big part of the world.

Agreeing with BetterMirror (strange tag, like it though) above. Who the hell invented Oceania anyways? How was it conceived as such a weak federation, leaving out potential teams that would improve it, such as Indonesia (who would likely prefer to play there, better chances). I agree that either you make Oceania a stronger region by requesting/suggesting that some nations join it (Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, even East Timor, who with all that Portuguese influence might turn out to be okay, even add Phillipines), or add the Oceania teams to Asia. If the ex-Soviet republics can join UEFA being somewhere north of India, I don't see why such adjustments couldn't be made here.

I have no sympathy for a team that can't qualify in such easy terms. REally now, how many Canadian fans would like to play a home and away vs. a team like, say, Guatemala (slightly weaker than us, like NZ to the Aussies), then take a home and away shot at Chile or Uruguay with the final home match coming in early winter in Canada? Four challenging games as compared to the 22 we have ahead of us in CONCACAF.

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Apparently, Oceania tried to join Asia back in the 70' and 80's a couple of times, but were refused by AFC. This from numerous posts on bigsoccer by Aussies and Kiwis over the past 6 months. This is one of their arguments as to why they need an automatic spot.

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quote:Originally posted by Sigma

angry-smiley-034.gif

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Sigma do toho!

Dead fu'king on.

Who the hell cares? Let them beat the also rans out of South America. If they can't, then they should go back to their island home out in the middle of no where so we can continue to forget them. World Cup has been cheapened enough over the years. Don't need any more of this bitch snivelling from the Aussies and South Americans.

Fu'k,,,,.

"Minority of one"

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Turn OFC into Outlaw Football Conference, and move Israel, Kazhakstan, Cuba, Liberia and any other unwanted or problematic countries into it. Many Carribean countries would want to join if it would mean qualifying for WC improved.

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quote:Originally posted by beachesl

Turn OFC into Outlaw Football Conference, and move Israel, Kazhakstan, Cuba, Liberia and any other unwanted or problematic countries into it. Many Carribean countries would want to join if it would mean qualifying for WC improved.

I believe this sort of oganization is called an "Axis" these days. Not offended, but I do think we should keep up with the popular lingo.

In fact I like the idea. I think Canada would fare all right in a "Coalition of the Unwilling" conference too... once France and Germany qualified, it would be wide open!

Allez les Rouges,

M@

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What about Saudi Arabia getting pumped 8-0 by Germnay. Doesn't that suggest something about Asian soccer.

Sadly, justice is like a snake, it bites only the barefooted.

"A pretty move, for the love of God."

Eduardo Galeano

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Blatter IS a snake. Bringing up last July's Nation's Cup is a dirty suckerpunch, as it wasn't an issue when the full spot was awarded last winter "to correct an injustice" (to use Blatter's words). I hope he is toast if he runs again in 2006, as he has managed to offend everybody.

Having said that, I think the substance of the current WC places is just about right. It should be reviewed, fairly and transparently, after every World Cup, however.

Go Red and White,,,beat los Ticos!!!!!!!!!!!!1

A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change

the subject. -- Winston Churchill

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