Do you think FIFA has directed referees to favour the big nations in the world cup.?

Answer 1

Most definitely. I have been telling people that there is a conspiracy against the Socceroos...the 'traditional' football nations have their noses out of joint re: these 'upstarts from down under'. They don't want us to win...that's why we've had such dodgy referees. I mean, look at the evidence...FIFA had promised us a 'free run' to the world cup...basically win Oceania and we're there, but they moved the goalposts (pardon the pun) and made us play Uruguay. However, we proved that we are more than worthy to participate in the WC. Socceroos...boys, you have outdone yourselves. We are so proud!!!

Answer 2

I don't think FIFA would do that, there is a risk to shut down the soccer game for good.
Referees are human beings and they can make mistakes. Australians like everyone else complain when the ref decision is against and not in favor.

Certainly big teams have more say in the tournament, after all sport is business.

Many Australians seem upset by the penalty in the match against Italy. The Australian player, lying on the ground ahead of time, obstructed the Italian player from going to the net.
It is a serious offense which warrants penalty kick if in the box.

Answer 3

FIFA is simply a business...just like any other...and the commodity they are selling is competitive Football.

They will always look after their vested interests, the big leagues & nations in Europe & South America because they make the money for the association. Sure, at WC02 Turkey and South Korea made it to the semi-finals, but South Korea were the host and earn an easy draw for that...and Asia is definitely THE target market for FIFA.

I do not doubt for one second that FIFA has inferred to referees that there are teams which should win and teams which should not. I would also be surprised if Significant financial rewards are NOT paid to referees for particular outcomes (not by FIFA...directly...of course!)

FIFA would undoubtedly deny this... just as all the Italians will be denying it in court next week.

Answer 4

It's a fair question to ask...especially if your team has had it's fair share of dodgy decisions as Australia has had. However, I don't believe that FIFA has actually directed referees to favour the big nations.

I do believe that FIFA are at fault as they put undue pressure on the refs to not put up with any nonsence, so the poor ref is screwed before the first kick off even begins. He gets more trigger happy then he would otherwise.

Also, I think that refs do tend to get star struck and inadvertently favour the bigger nations (or more skilled nations if you like).

For Australia to be so unlucky in four matches in a row does beg the question, were we ripped off? Maybe, but that's sport...we played our hearts out and the boys did us proud...no one gave us a snow flake's chance in hell of achieving anything and yet we were on the brink of getting into the qtrs!!

I think video technology or a 4th referee (similar to 3rd umpire in cricket) should seriously be looked at for future matches so that the refereeing isn't the main talking point but the actual game it self.

Answer 5

I do think that the refs have been favouring the big nations in the World Cup and not just this year thats why there has only been 7 winners of the cup out of a possible 17 or so. Get my point?
In all of the Socceroos matches there has been controversy about the refs, against Japan there was the foul on Schwarzer, against Brazil the goals were offside and there was 26 fouls to 9, against Croatia 3 yellows were handed out to the one player and against Italy the heartbreaking penaltty which ended Australias cup dreams.
You make the decision.

Answer 6

Serie A and other powerful leagues make huge financial contributions to FIFA, whereas countries where the sport is still in it's infancy do not. This has to have considerable impact and consequences on the competition. Take Australia for example where the competition is just starting to gather momentum. Of the 5 referees queeried at the time of their elimination, 4 officiated in the Australian matches. Statistics from the Australian matches speak for themselves ... Japan's bizarre goal, Brazil's 25 penalties to Australia's 9, Simunic (Croatia) 3 yellow cards in one game, and Italy beong awarded an extremely doubtful and undeserved penalty in the last 10 seconds of the game.

Answer 7

No i dont think so that fifa would do a such thing , but if the individual ref has bad blood thats a differant story all together , the problem is fans are screaming for video referees, that will make the games fair all over, if it was introduced it should be only used in goal scoreing and and penalty fal situations in the penalty box , otherwise if they used it in most situatuions it will slow the game down, well hopefully they will do something about it in the future.

Answer 8

the answer to this question is NO WAY!
Its in the games interest to have the upcoming nations playing this game, and at the highest level.
My thoughts on the bad Refereeing decisions being made is just that bad decisions, and bad referee's. This World Cup has been one of the cleanest in years, yet more yellow and red cards have been given for silly fouls and nothing for dives inside the penalty area.
Just bad referee's I think.
As for the Socceroos going out for a dive made me very annoyed, but had a Socceroo made that dive I would have been proud of him.The problem we have is the ref can't see a dive and a genuine foul. Inside the penalty box for Penalties in doubt and goals scored maybe then we should bring in the Camera like they have in Rugby. Something has to be done to get at the divers, whether we like them or not.
Had Austalia gone through against Italy I believe they would have gotten to the semi's at least, not having Soccer as its main sport, I wonder if they will be able to get a team together like this one for the next World Cup.
They done us proud, and if I was Lucas Neill I would not be too upset, it wasn't your fault mate, you had an awesome tournament.

Answer 9

Yes,

It is common practice referees do favour certain teams. Watching world cups for 40 years european championships and internationals.. you will always see leading teams receive some form of favoutism in refereeing decisions. In Australia we have often complained that when overseas internationals teams come and play here even with our our Aussie referees they seem over awed to penalise and send off world class players for offences that here we do not tolerate. Winning teams play winning football and are technically better and win free kicks even when they commit the fouls. Lets get more professional here, if a referee is having a bad game replace him just like the professioanl footballer.. Yes believe it or not referees have bad games and days when they should just stay in bed. Lets get serious substitute them. The game and players deserve better.

Answer 10

Not at all - it's just a shame that a lot of the refs have made dumbarse decisions. FIFA is about fair play, and at the end of the day, do you really think the refs what to look like idiots when they make those bad decisions? Of course they do not, look t Graham Poll as his reputation is now in tatters. It's easy for us to watch at home on TV with no pressure, other than hoping your team will win - it's different for the refs, they just have a split second to make a decision, which they know may effect the whole outcome of a game. I am sure in their hearts, they believe they made the correct decisions at the time - and remember mistakes are one of the things that makes the game so real and exciting.