Silvio Posted April 17, 2004 Share Posted April 17, 2004 Blatter Rejects Puma's New One-Piece Uniform For Cameroon FIFA President Sepp Blatter on Friday announced that Cameroon's new men's national team uniform designed by Puma — a one piece bodysuit with zippers on the shoulders and lion claw-marks down either side — is "'against the laws of the game' and will be outlawed," according to Grahame Jones of the L.A. TIMES. But a Puma spokesperson said the uniform had been approved by the Confederation of African Football and would be worn by the Cameroon team in the African Nations Cup tournament, which began Saturday and runs until February 14. Blatter: "It is the second time the supplier [Puma] poses a problem to the laws of the game. I am sorry they did not consult us before." At the previous tournament in '00, Cameroon wore sleeveless Puma uniforms that were "subsequently outlawed by FIFA" (L.A. TIMES, 1/24). Puma Int'l Football Marketing Manager Filip Trulsson: "We have no interest in doing something against the good of the game. If FIFA decides it is not for the good of the game, we would have to look at it (AP, 1/23). If this wasn't bad enough, I heard they fined the team $150,000 and docked them six points in WCQ. NOw that's what I call going too far! Why do they care so much about keeping traditional uniforms anyway? Let them experiment like they do in every other sport to see what works best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvio Posted April 17, 2004 Author Share Posted April 17, 2004 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJT Posted April 17, 2004 Share Posted April 17, 2004 We already talked about this at the time of the African Nations Cup, so when I began reading that article I thought it was about Cameroon using an illegal uniform for a third time! Yes, they have been fined and docked 6 WCQ points (see below) --- though I wonder why no mention of ANQ points are mentioned, given that WCQs also count as ANQs. I can see the argument that teams should be allowed to experiment, but the fact is that right now the uniform requirements are spelled out as a fundamental rule of the game (Law 4), right there with fouls and offsides and everything else, so they should be followed and can't just be easily waived or changed. Admittedly, Law 4 is open to some interpretation, but I think FIFA was fair enough in allowing Cameroon to wear their one-piece during the first round while clarifying what was expected for the knockout round, but Cameroon still did not comply. I have a feeling that Cameroon will be able to get out of the points deduction, though. From FIFA: Zurich, 16 April 2004 -Meeting today at FIFA headquarters under the chairmanship of Marcel Mathier (Switzerland), the FIFA Disciplinary Committee fined the Cameroon football association CHF 200,000 and deducted six points from its national team in the preliminary competition for the 2006 FIFA World Cup™. The punishment was imposed as a result of Cameroon’s failure to comply with the equipment requirements of Law 4 of the Laws of the Game during the African Cup of Nations 2004 in Tunisia. FIFA had shown leniency at the time for Cameroon’s attire in the group round of the competition after the association had given assurances that the team would wear authorised playing kit in the knock-out phases. Despite this agreement, Cameroon subsequently wore the same equipment in the quarter-finals. The Disciplinary Committee opened an inquiry on 13 February 2004 in order to rule on this serious infringement of the Laws of the Game and the association’s failure to fulfil the pledge made to FIFA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachesl Posted April 17, 2004 Share Posted April 17, 2004 Here's the story about the fifa decision. It seems totally outrageous to me, an overeaction. The punishment should fit the crime. It's one thing to dock points for the African Nations Cup qualifying, but it's wrong to punish for WC Qualifying if the "offence" happened at the African Nations Cup (I know that it is a joint qualification series, but the points can apply differently to each). I suspect that there might be an ulterior financial motive to get Egypt, the second biggest economy in Africa, qualified again after 16 years. Given the tightness of the qualification, 6 points will certainly prevent Cameroon from qualifying. Hopefully, an appeal will be successful. ------------------------------------------------------------------- http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/3633409.stm Fifa hits Cameroon hopes Samuel Eto'o sports the controversial one-piece kit Cameroon's hopes of qualifying for the 2006 World Cup have been hit after Fifa docked them six points for their one-piece kit in the African Cup of Nations. Fifa rules only permit the use of a separate jersey and shorts and has fined Cameroon £86,000 (US$154,000). The decision was taken at a meeting of the Fifa Disciplinary Committee at their headquarters in Zurich on Friday. A Fifa statement said that the Cameroon kit represented a "serious infringement of the Laws of the Game". After Cameroon used the one-piece kit for the start of the Nations Cup competition Fifa ordered them to have a different outfit for the quarter-finals. But when they ran out in the same gear for their last-eight tie with Nigeria Fifa warned them they would face sanctions. The Fifa statement added: "Fifa had shown leniency at the time for Cameroon's attire in the group round of the competition after the association had given assurances that the team would wear authorised playing kit in the knock-out phases. "Despite this agreement, Cameroon subsequently wore the same equipment in the quarter-finals. "The Disciplinary Committee opened an inquiry on 13 February, 2004 in order to rule on this serious infringement of the Laws of the Game and the association's failure to fulfil the pledge made to Fifa." Cameroon begin their World Cup qualifying campaign in African Group Three along with Egypt, Ivory Coast, Libya, Sudan and Benin. And Theophile Abega, who sits on the commission of the African Football Confederation, said Cameroon must fight to recover the lost points. "The authorities and Fecafoot (Cameroon football federation) must appeal, otherwise we can't qualify for the World Cup. "This really is a very heavy penalty for Cameroon." The official response from Fecafoot was more restrained. "All I can tell you is that the executive committee of Fecafoot is going to meet and a decision will be taken," said Pierre Nguidjol Nlend, the national team's administrative director. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canadiankick97 Posted April 17, 2004 Share Posted April 17, 2004 With six points gone, and Egypt in their group I think just maybe, it's already over for Cameroon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Crampton Posted April 17, 2004 Share Posted April 17, 2004 This is a completely unjustifiable action by FIFA. Yes, proper kit is a law of the game but once the match official decides that you can play they have absolutely no business butting in - especially retroactively! If you're not wearing the proper kit the match official should decide that you've forfeited the game right there and you should suffer whatever sanction is appropriate (and already spelled out). This is utterly ridiculous and, as others have noted, smacks of politics, politics, politics. Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheeta Posted April 18, 2004 Share Posted April 18, 2004 Hmmm. Big stick. That much is for sure. Tuff. Go ahead. Wear the kit again. This isn't a pissing contest Camaroon is going to win. And I think they'll find precious few allies to take their side on the matter. Especially within Africa. And as to letting a match continue, as scheduled, despite the use of the uniforms in question I'd say it may well have been the best thing in allowing it to proceed, crowd safety concearns being what they are. Besides, after all is said and done these sort of judgments can be handed out. Still, it dose reek of something else dosen't it? Six points. That's a lot of penalty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted April 18, 2004 Share Posted April 18, 2004 Hmm, big opening now for Egypt to grab a World Cup spot. That'd definitely be interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJT Posted May 22, 2004 Share Posted May 22, 2004 quote:Originally posted by DJT I have a feeling that Cameroon will be able to get out of the points deduction, though. Like I said... From FIFA: Six point deduction lifted from Cameroon Paris, 21 May 2004 - The six-point deduction from Cameroon's 2006 FIFA World Cup™ qualification table was lifted today by FIFA at the world governing body's Centennial Congress in Paris. This exceptional pardon, granted with the unanimous approval of the 201 member associations of FIFA present and entitled to vote, does not affect the financial penalty of CHF 200,000 imposed on the Cameroon FA by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee on 16 April 2004 and confirmed by the Appeal Committee on 12 May 2004. At the African Football Confederation (CAF) Extraordinary Congress on 19 May, CAF's 52 members put forth a request that FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter grant a presidential pardon to lift Cameroon's six-point penalty. As the President noted that only the FIFA Congress could grant such an exception, he proposed, on behalf of the FIFA Executive Committee, to the member associations of FIFA that this request be granted in honour of FIFA's Centennial, for the good of the game, for Africa and the good of the global football family. The President's proposal was unanimously approved by the Congress and thus Cameroon will begin the qualification process for the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ with a clean slate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
argh1 Posted May 22, 2004 Share Posted May 22, 2004 Ah , the politics of world soccer . Blatter , slaps the fingers with the yard (metre) stick. The ole my way or the highway . Then asks for presidential powers to pardon the offender . Is there an election coming up for the FIFA executive shortly Besides looking unorthodox , is there any real reason behind banning of the singlet shirt or the T-Shirt and shorts being sewn to-gether? Do these uni's give the offender any advantage ? Oh , yeah and just to show who's boss the $(US) 155,000 FINE STILL STANDS . Smells alot like inner office politics to me . Or am I synical ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarnCherry Posted May 23, 2004 Share Posted May 23, 2004 quote:Originally posted by argh1 Besides looking unorthodox , is there any real reason behind banning of the singlet shirt or the T-Shirt and shorts being sewn to-gether? Yes, and the reason is those kits look extremely fruity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
argh1 Posted May 24, 2004 Share Posted May 24, 2004 quote:Originally posted by Krammerhead Yes, and the reason is those kits look extremely fruity. Not for the team from TRIANGLES [)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayWay Posted May 24, 2004 Share Posted May 24, 2004 How do they put them on??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarnCherry Posted May 24, 2004 Share Posted May 24, 2004 To be serious though, the punishment was warranted and should have stuck. You can't have one team (country) trying to make their kit a fashion statement and wearing something different than everyone else. They allow that to happen then all sorts of countries will start wearing their own "look at me" uniforms and it would start to look like a circus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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