Qatar's Emerson and FIFA's alleged corruption

[nolando]

Did anybody else see this?

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/reuters/080922/n_sports_reuters/soccer_fifa_qatar__analysis___corrected_1

By Martin Petty

BANGKOK, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Soccer's world governing body FIFA has found itself tangled in a legal mess after the authority absolved Qatar of any blame for fielding an ineligible player in a World Cup qualifier.

FIFA's apparent flouting of its own rules has sparked cries of condemnation after a naturalised Brazilian named Emerson, who had already represented his birth country at youth level, played for the Gulf state in their 2-0 win over Iraq in March.

FIFA's rules state that anyone who has played for one country cannot represent another.

Despite the breach, Qatar progressed to the final round of Asian qualifying at Iraq's expense, denying the surprise Asian champions a chance to reach their first World Cup in 24 years.

"The result of that match should be nullified," Iraqi soccer president Hussein Saeed told Reuters recently.

"It is Iraq that should be awarded victory."

The issue is now with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and Iraq's lawyers believe they have a strong case.

Article 55 FDC of FIFA's competition rules states that any team "found guilty of fielding an ineligible player shall forfeit the match in question" and "victory and the resultant 3 points will be awarded to the opposing team".

Those three points would have put Iraq, not Qatar, in the next round.

QATAR CLEARED

Emerson, who was arrested in 2006 by Brazilian police for falsifying his age in his passport, has since been banned by FIFA but the Qatari federation was cleared of any wrongdoing.

FIFA said the tiny Gulf state was not to blame because it was unaware the globe-trotting Emerson, who has played on four continents, had represented Brazil under his former name, Marcio Passos De Albuquerque.

Iraq twice protested the decision but FIFA rejected their appeal, citing late submission of documents and fees.

"It is hard to imagine things going Iraq's way," John Duerden, Asia editor of soccer website goal.com, told Reuters.

"The fair thing to do is to give Iraq a 3-0 win for the match in question, as FIFA's rules stipulate... It would, of course, be a surprise if this actually happened."

FIFA said it was not willing to comment on the CAS case until the verdict had been announced.

Senior Qatari federation officials and members of its legal team did not return calls or respond to text messages when contacted by Reuters.

However, recent comments by Sheikh Hamad Khalifa al-Thani, the country's soccer president, suggest Qatar is confident FIFA's decision will not be overturned.

'NO MISTAKE'

"The whole issue is not of our interest because we didn't make any mistake," he said.

"If there is any side who made a mistake then they should be punished, but that's not us."

Sources close to the case say FIFA has argued that the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) should have done a thorough background check of Emerson, whose questionable record was reported to FIFA by Japan in 2005 when he played for Urawa Reds.

FIFA's disciplinary committee referred to Swiss law in overriding article 55 FDC, concluding that it was right not to sanction Qatar, who had been given false information and should therefore be absolved of blame.

"The confidence of the Qatari Football Association has to be protected," FIFA stated in an extract from a case document seen by Reuters. "Article 55 FDC cannot be applied."

The handling of the case has incensed many Iraqis and prompted hundreds of web postings accusing oil-rich Qatar of abusing the power it has in Asian soccer, in particular, the close ties shared by the AFC's Qatari president Mohamed Bin Hammam and his FIFA counterpart Sepp Blatter.

By contrast, the issue is barely mentioned in Qatar and the media has steered clear of the story.

Iraq's Brazilian coach Jorvan Vieira has given up hope of going to the 2010 finals and few believe unfashionable Iraq will win the case, for which a verdict is expected within two weeks.

"This certainly does no favours for FIFA's reputation," added Duerden, an Asian soccer writer.

"When Iraqi players take the pitch in the Confederations Cup next year along with FIFA's fair play flags, they won't be the only ones shaking their heads." (Editing by John O'Brien)

[Cheeta]

Hmmm. Tricky. If Qatar can prove it showed due diligence in clearing this player, who it must be odvious is only a foreign mercenary, before accepting him on to their national team then I can kinda see where FIFA is coming from. But that's about as far as I'll agree with FIFA's reasoning. I can see a logic in it but I absolutely don't agree with the conclusion they think it leads to.

Emerson is the crook here and there are two victims. One completely innocent, Iraq and the other one, Qatar, an "ignorant" participant.

Iraq didn't do one thing wrong and unknowing or not Qatar did. They performed whatever background checks they felt were good enough in order to field a foreign national on their team. They ran the risk of missing something and should be expected to pay the consequences for having accepted that risk and lost. Plain and simple.

Think this would be a great case to make an example of Qatar. Hire mercenaries at your own risk!

Wonder if there is precedent in past cases where FIFA has ignored the letter of the law in article 55?

[loyola]

I think the best decision would be to replay that game if possible.

Did that brazilian guy only played in that game during WCQ?

[Canuck Oranje]

It was Qatar who tried to get Ailton citizenship too so he could play for them.

[jpg75]

Whatever happened with Robert Wagners' eligibility after playing for the US against us in WCQ back in '97? He'd played for Germany as a youth and FIFA cleared him to play for the US and then someone dug up that he'd been cap-tied to Germany after the game against us.

[loyola]

quote:Originally posted by jpg75

Whatever happened with Robert Wagners' eligibility after playing for the US against us in WCQ back in '97? He'd played for Germany as a youth and FIFA cleared him to play for the US and then someone dug up that he'd been cap-tied to Germany after the game against us.

I think it was another guy with the same name who played for Germany. The USA guy was legit from what I can recall of that story.

[jpg75]

quote:Originally posted by loyola

I think it was another guy with the same name who played for Germany. The USA guy was legit from what I can recall of that story.

The Robert Wagner who played for the US in that match was born in Germany and played in the Bundesliga, the announcers were gaga over that fact.

[loyola]

quote:Originally posted by jpg75

The Robert Wagner who played for the US in that match was born in Germany and played in the Bundesliga, the announcers were gaga over that fact.

Ok, here's the story from his Wikipedia page:

In April 1997, after Canada lost to the U.S. in a World Cup qualifying match in which Wagner played, the Canadian Soccer Federation complained to FIFA that Wagner should be ineligible to play for the U.S. based on his appearances for Germany's youth teams. On May 2, 1997, FIFA announced that Wagner was eligible to play for the U.S. because his games with the German teams were exhibitions, not official matches.

[jpg75]

Thanks!

[CanadianSoccerFan]

Iraq's appeal was not heard by the CAS because they were 11 days late in paying some $2800 fee. Bull**** if you ask me.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/soccer/09/29/bc.soc.cas.iraq.cup.ap/index.html

[Guest Ed]

quote:Originally posted by jpg75

Whatever happened with Robert Wagners' eligibility after playing for the US against us in WCQ back in '97? He'd played for Germany as a youth and FIFA cleared him to play for the US and then someone dug up that he'd been cap-tied to Germany after the game against us.

It was buried. Chuck Blaser/Jack Warner exchanging favours. And I don't know how Loyola found that in Wikipedia, as the player's name is DAVID WAGNER.

[loyola]

quote:Originally posted by Ed

It was buried. Chuck Blaser/Jack Warner exchanging favours. And I don't know how Loyola found that in Wikipedia, as the player's name is DAVID WAGNER.

I just forgot to correct the name but I found the wiki paragraph under DAvid Wagner, of course.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Wagner_(soccer)

[Canuck Oranje]

Sorry, but I think Qatar is complicit in this. The notion of a player using a different single name as a youth player in Brazil just doesn't fly as an excuse.

If you look at player registrations in Brazil, the player names are full names together with birthdate, State of Birth and registration number. The CBF also records transfers in and out of Brazil. I doubt that any player would be playing for a national team without having their name recorded.

If Qatar is free of conviction, some oil money was involved going to some numbered bank account.