FIFA may ban Turkey from 2010 World Cup

[SevenSeasJim]

Did anybody catch this yesturday? Fucked up shit.

FIFA may ban Turkey from 2010 World Cup

World Cup of Soccer

World Cup of Soccer

Associated Press

11/17/2005 10:27:09 AM

ZURICH, Switzerland (AP) - FIFA will consider banning Turkey from the 2010 World Cup as punishment for the violence at Wednesday's playoff match against Switzerland in Istanbul, FIFA president Sepp Blatter said Thursday.

"We will act tough," Blatter said. "The catalogue of sanctions extends from a simple warning to suspension of the federation, which could mean exclusion from the next international event."

Blatter said FIFA's disciplinary committee will start its investigation immediately and decide on sanctions by Dec. 9, the date for the draw of the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

"In the truest sense of the word, fair play was trampled underfoot," Blatter told a news conference at FIFA headquarters. "This is unworthy of football. Football should promote understanding among peoples. This didn't happen here."

Blatter, who is Swiss, said he found it "difficult to speak as a Swiss and as a FIFA president about something that concerns both Switzerland and FIFA. But it's my responsibility."

Blatter said Marcel Mathier, the Swiss lawyer who heads the disciplinary committee, will refrain from considering the case.

The two teams tied 4-4 on aggregate, but the Swiss advanced to next year's World Cup in Germany on away goals.

"If a team that has won cannot celebrate on the pitch and instead have to run off like thieves, then something is wrong," Blatter said.

After the final whistle, both teams raced from the field apparently to escape angry fans. A scuffle between players from both sides ensued in the tunnel on the way to the locker-room.

Swiss defender Stephane Grichting was injured in the brawl and hospitalized with a groin injury, the Swiss Football Association said.

Some of the violence was caught by television cameras.

Swiss player Benjamin Huggel kicked Turkish trainer Mehmet Ozdilek in the back of the legs as the two teams left the field. Turkey's Alpay Ozalan tried to kick Huggel in retaliation but instead made contact with another Swiss player in front of him. Huggel then grabbed Alpay around the neck and fell to the ground, with other players, coaches and security guards piling on.

Blatter said FIFA would consider a range of severe sanctions against Turkey.

"Anything can happen - from nothing at all to the suspension of the Turkish federation or even a ban on participation in the next World Cup," he told a Swiss radio interviewer earlier.

Turkish soccer officials accused Blatter of being biased.

"Blatter's comments were extremely unfortunate," Turkish soccer federation vice-president Sekip Mosturoglu said. "This was not a one-sided event."

Blatter said FIFA would await the report from the match officials in Istanbul.

"What disturbs me the most the lack of respect shown the official Swiss delegation from their arrival until their departure," he said.

The Swiss said they were subjected to hostile treatment when they arrived in Istanbul on Monday, including being held up for several hours in passport control. Fans taunted the players and reportedly threw eggs and rocks at the team bus as it left the airport.

Blatter criticized FIFA representatives for not being at the airport for the Swiss team's arrival.

"This is incomprehensible," he said. "At least they could have given psychological support."

Tensions had been mounting since the first match Saturday in Bern, which the Swiss won 2-0. The Turkish team complained of poor treatment. Turkey coach Fatih Terim said Swiss striker Alex Frei cursed at him and made an obscene hand gesture after the first match. Frei denied it.

FIFA spokesman Andreas Herren noted that there had been previous problems with Turkish fans during the qualifying rounds. FIFA imposed a 10,000 Swiss franc ($8,985 Cdn) fine after a match against Ukraine.

[Davey Boy 2.0]

Canadian players get bags of urine thrown at them in Honduras and Guatemala and nothing ever comes of it

In the end Turkey will get a slap on the wrist as always happens when FIFA rule on shit like this, unless it's true that Blatter has the will and leverage to impose something more serious

shameful anyway you look at it

[Diggzz]

The thing about it is that it happens anytime anyone goes and plays in Turkey and nothing is ever done, If it happened in England there wouldn't even be a discussion about expulsion. FIFA need to get some balls and show Turkey that if they want to compete they have to get control over the situations involving violence. Until they can learn that they can't play, simple.

[Diggzz]

I just came across the video of it...

http://www.flurl.com/uploaded/Soccer_Turkey_vs_Switzerland_6716.html

At the very start you can see the Turkish trainer kick at and try and trip a Swiss dude, then another Swiss dude kicks the trainer and we're of!!!

[M.O.B.E]

Canadian players get bags of urine thrown at them in Honduras and Guatemala and nothing ever comes of it

thats because Canadian players are a joke.

[Davey Boy 2.0]

i would say the program is a joke, the players are way better than the 85th (or whatever) they;re ranked- no money, no strong desire to get competitive... no real market for it nowadays

Canada's actually got some good players playing in good leagues- not sparkling pedigree or anything mind you but they could be so much better with an injection of money and more interest from Canadians... which won't happen in our lifetime but you can always dream

[Diggzz]

If the new Toronto MLS team is successful it's gonna have a big impact on soccer here. Lok at the States, once they hosted the World Cup/started the MLS, they have moved up into the top 15-20 teams in the world. If Canadians had a place to play in Canada on a regular basis it's gonna help. Also I think if the Toronto team is successful, you will see teams in Montreal and Vancouver in the not too distant future

[Davey Boy 2.0]

agreed, with fingers crossed

[Booche]

Most amateur sports programs are a joke in this country because we dont allocate much money towards them. The taxpayers have spoken. Without corporate sponsership, next to nothing goes their way. Most of the atheletes you see that compete at a national level also have to maintain a 40hr/week job, train on top of that and fund for themselves.