The time has come for FIFA to dig their heads out of the sand and turn to technology.
Thierry Henry’s blatant handball against Ireland could have so easily have been avoided.
I don’t support the concept of going to the ‘third umpire’ for every decision – but for moments that can change the whole landscape of world football such as this, it’s time to use the technology we have available.
Surely a system by where the cameras could be consulted on crucial decisions – say red cards, and goals, and that’s it – wouldn’t hold up the game too much, and would eliminate the kind of farce we saw at Stade de France on Wednesday night.
As for a replay – well, it isn’t going to happen. Refereeing mistakes happen all the time and teams just have to life with the consequences. But it should never have got to that.
What will stick in the throat of Ireland fans is Henry’s elaborate celebration, running behind the goal shouting at the crowd, before making a half-hearted attempt to console Ireland defender Richard Dunne at the final whistle.
Dunne must have extraordinary self control.
And what’s possibly more frustrating is that Henry admitted he handled the ball after the match, and then said he didn’t mean it. Pictures don’t lie, Thierry.
I have heard Thierry Henry’s reputation described varyingly as ‘squeaky clean’ and ‘impeccable’ in the last two days - both of which are, sadly, for a man so talented, complete nonsense.
He has staged and dived before looking for free kicks or penalties for club and country, famously clutching his face when body-checked by Carles Puyol at the last World Cup.
It is perhaps the most frustrating thing about modern football: that the world’s best players, such as Henry, Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard, Cristiano Ronaldo, Alberto Gilardino, Didier Drogba - the list goes on as far back as Diego Maradona and the 'Hand of God' in 1986 - feel the need to cheat rather than depending on their clearly superior ability.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Semenya's Thumbs Up Leaves Only One Winner
Caster Semenya will get to keep her 800m World Championship Medal, and her prize money, but we might never know whether she's really a woman.
It's been three months since Semenya blitzed the field to claim the 800m world championship.
But questions were immediately raised about whether she was in fact a woman, based largely on her muscular physique and drastic improvement in the months leading up to the world championships in Berlin.
She slashed nearly ten seconds off her 800m time in just eight months, and 25 seconds off her 1500m time in just over a year. Extraordinary in anybody's book.
Three months worth of speculation and tests still has people second-guessing her gender - including the South African Sports Minister, Makhenkesi Stofile.
"We now are in agreement that he ... er, she will retain her gold medal," he said. Oops.
Semenya will also get to keep her title as world champion, and the $60,000 in prize money.
But the $64,000 question remains - we still don't know whether she'll be allowed to compete as a woman in subsequent meets, or the results of her gender tests.
"We have also agreed with the IAAF that what ever scientific tests that were conducted legally within the regulations of the IAAF will be treated as confidential. It's a matter between the patient and the doctor," Stofile said.
18-year-old Semenya, a student at the University of Pretoria hasn't commented on the latest announcements.
But her coach says she'll keep competing as a woman.
Stofile says everyone agreed that Semenya had not intended to dupe authorities.
"All of us agreed that from the side of Semenya nothing wrong was done from her side. She did not cheat, she didn't willingly cheat," he said.
Perhaps not, but never has the question of an athlete's gender raised such intense debate.
It was obvious world sport had no idea how to deal with an athlete who may have both male and female characteristics.
And with Semenya's results kept out of the public eye, it's still unclear where the IAAF draws the line on a female athlete being ineligible to compete as a woman.
So from three months of speculation, there's only one winner - the young woman who gets to keep her medal.
It's been three months since Semenya blitzed the field to claim the 800m world championship.
But questions were immediately raised about whether she was in fact a woman, based largely on her muscular physique and drastic improvement in the months leading up to the world championships in Berlin.
She slashed nearly ten seconds off her 800m time in just eight months, and 25 seconds off her 1500m time in just over a year. Extraordinary in anybody's book.
Three months worth of speculation and tests still has people second-guessing her gender - including the South African Sports Minister, Makhenkesi Stofile.
"We now are in agreement that he ... er, she will retain her gold medal," he said. Oops.
Semenya will also get to keep her title as world champion, and the $60,000 in prize money.
But the $64,000 question remains - we still don't know whether she'll be allowed to compete as a woman in subsequent meets, or the results of her gender tests.
"We have also agreed with the IAAF that what ever scientific tests that were conducted legally within the regulations of the IAAF will be treated as confidential. It's a matter between the patient and the doctor," Stofile said.
18-year-old Semenya, a student at the University of Pretoria hasn't commented on the latest announcements.
But her coach says she'll keep competing as a woman.
Stofile says everyone agreed that Semenya had not intended to dupe authorities.
"All of us agreed that from the side of Semenya nothing wrong was done from her side. She did not cheat, she didn't willingly cheat," he said.
Perhaps not, but never has the question of an athlete's gender raised such intense debate.
It was obvious world sport had no idea how to deal with an athlete who may have both male and female characteristics.
And with Semenya's results kept out of the public eye, it's still unclear where the IAAF draws the line on a female athlete being ineligible to compete as a woman.
So from three months of speculation, there's only one winner - the young woman who gets to keep her medal.
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Gazza's Goal
Paul Gascoigne scores against Arsenal in the first FA Cup Semi-Final to be played at Wembley, April 14, 1991