UEFA and FIFA take on the EPL

If you fall in a match and UEFA isn't there - is it a dive?

In the current environment of the 24 hour news cycle there has not been a shortage of articles either supporting or criticizing the recent actions of both FIFA and UEFA with regard to the Eduardo ban for diving and Chelsea’s 2-year ban on conducting business in the transfer window.

What is crystal clear from these actions is that English Football and specifically its larger, more successful clubs seem to be a target for harsh judgments from both governing bodies. Whether it’s Arsenal’s Eduardo getting a 2 game ban from UEFA for diving during the Gunners match versus Celtic or Chelsea FC’s 2 year ban from FIFA for supposedly inducing Lens starlet, Gael Kakuta to break his contract with the French club, the actions seem to take direct aim at some of England’s biggest clubs.  Finally, lost in the news due to the ban on Chelsea is a move by UEFA (ironically being driven by Roman Abramovich) to have all clubs balance their books or risk being removed from the chance to play in any European competitions – a direct challenge to high-spending Manchester City.

In any case all of these moves are groundbreaking and unprecedented in their nature. Readily apparent is that these moves directly involve English Premier League (EPL) clubs. And while FC Sion did receive a similar ban to Chelsea’s, the ferocity and apparent pile on the rabbit mentality of foreign clubs on EPL clubs is astounding. This environment of jealously and brinksmanship comes primarily from the fact that  both FIFA’s Sepp Blatter and UEFA’s Michel Platini have an inherent dislike for the success of the EPL and by extension its more successful clubs.

“I have my concerns because the Premier League is the strongest in the world, definitely,” Blatter told BBC 5 Live. “It is taking over in such a manner that others have difficulties matching it.”

Both Blatter and Platini have had well documented, high profile rants against the EPL. From, foreign ownership, club debt levels, influx of foreign players and beyond the duo has been on an almost quixotic quest against the influence of the world’s highest profile football league.

Year over year, the EPL success is measured by its growing television revenues and overseas trips. To add to its growing popularity, ESPN is finally jumping on board picking up the slack that was left behind from Setanta Sports going into administration. With this kind of exposure of the EPL will grow exponentially, especially in the United States. Something sure to draw the additional ire of Messieurs Blatter and Platini.

It’s not that the issues that they take on are without merit. There isn’t a Liverpool supporter alive that isn’t concerned about the constant debt worries caused by the ownership of the team by Gillett and Hicks. Additionally, I am sure English fans would like to see more English players in their teams.  How many fans out there wouldn’t like to see the game played more fairly without players purposely trying to manipulate the outcome? It’s not the issues per se, but the arbitrary way in which FIFA and UEFA have chosen to enforce the rules.

Based on the evidence at hand to the average reader and fan, the penalties are harshest and most visible against EPL teams. You would have had to look hard to find anything on FC Sion’s judgment for the same issue as Chelsea. And while FIFA say they have 100s of cases to review, there is little to lead one to think that the next one enforced will also be against an English club.

Looking specifically at UEFA’s recent attempt to protect the integrity of the game and stamp out diving, it is I am sure well intentioned if not a tad bit late.  Over the years there have been countless “divers” – Didier Drogba, Christiano Ronaldo, Rivaldo – to name a few. In fact the obscure 2006 rule that was used to judge Eduardo was made as a result of Rivaldo going down one too many times. The problem is that based on the wording of that rule, Eduardo would have to been shown to deceive the ref with malicious intent. How UEFA came to that determination is unknown. Eduardo does not call for the penalty and it is quickly awarded by the ref, who reasserted during the post-match that he did not feel the player had deceived him.

Finally, UEFA’s judgment of this one event as an attempt to fight cheating is wonky in light of this comment some days following Eduardo’s ruling:

UEFA “has no plans to institute a regular programme of video referrals for matches under its jurisdiction or issue an anti-diving directive.”

Messieurs Platini plans on crusading against diving then video referrals and an anti-diving directive is EXACTLY what is needed. Not some far off- handed attempt to make a point. But UEFA argues that using video technology for instance would affect the integrity of their refs. A simple call to the NFL commissioner’s office would likely help him to see the error of his ways.

In addition to Platini’s anti-diving campaign, we are also presented with Sepp Blatter’s campaign to protect the children. On its surface, no one can fault a need to protect young players who may or may not have the benefit of wise counsel in matters that will shape their careers. Even Gordon Taylor, President of the Professional Footballers Association (PFA) wants to see a band on the transfers of players under 18.

Again like Platini’s arbitrary ruling against Arsenal, Blatter’s attempt to make a statement by harshly dealing with Chelsea in the Kakuta matter is another case of taking a sledge hammer to crack an egg. It is furthermore complicated in that the ruling was handed down on 27 August 2009 but not provided to the club until 2 days AFTER the transfer window had closed. Had the notice been received before, Chelsea certainly would’ve been able to buy players to offset the inability to do so.

The repercussions are already starting to be seen. Now every minor club that feels it was aggrieved in losing a young player is coming out of the wood work wanting to request that FIFA or their association look into. Since Chelsea’s ban – La Havre is asking for an investigation of Manchester United, League Two side Crewe Alexandra have filed a complaint with the FA regarding an unnamed Premier League club, and it goes on and on.

Rather than having a frank discussion about how to fix the problem Sepp Blatter’s actions have basically created a witch hunt looking to exact an ounce of revenge because larger clubs found loops holes in which to sign young promising players. That doesn’t negate the fact that some clubs may have worked deals against existing laws or in bad faith but overall since nothing exists to prohibit the practice of signing younger players clubs are well within their right to do so.

Simply crucifying Chelsea (as much of a delight as it is to Arsenal fans) adds to the theory the FIFA much like UEFA are trying to bring the EPL down. Bring a down an association that on its own, has raised the profile on a global level. Yes, some of the Serie A sides and La Liga sides have as well but not on the level of the EPL. When an Everton travelled to compete in the MLS all-star game it was an event. I would argue you would not get the same response if Almeria were to do the same.

What Sepp and Michel are worried about is that the influence of the EPL eclipses their own power. When the EPL does something people take notice. When UEFA and FIFA do, people merely shrug their shoulders. Additionally, when each organization talks of preserving the game, its heritage, etc, they seem slightly silly because in the next breathe their validation is for pure business reasons.

So when we talk of anti-English bias by UEFA and FIFA it’s not so much a xenophobic kind of reaction to the league, It is more about an attempt by both organizations to limit the prestige and influence of the league. If they want to really talk protecting the game integrity and the young players – bravo. But no one will take it seriously until they expand their myopic view from the tiny island in the North Atlantic to the rest of the globe.