Other - Rest of the World Congo, Russia and Pakistan banned from WC

[Northstandboy]

FIFA have banned the above from the WC.

That’s means Kioso won’t have the chance to play at a WC:

FIFA suspended the Republic of Congo after the Congolese government stepped into football affairs, which breaks FIFA rules. The country’s Minister of Sports had set up a special committee to run the national football federation (FECOFOOT). And FIFA and CAF (Confederation of African Football) saw this as outside political interference.

Now, Congo are locked out of international games "until further notice." That means no World Cup qualifiers and no club teams in African competitions. With Morocco leading the group, this suspension makes their path to the next round even smoother.

 

[Emilio]

With Thohir's position in Indonesian politics, does that mean we're at risk of being expelled from the AFC Asian Cup?

 

[Littlemore Local]

Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo are two different countries. Kioso plays for DRC.

 

[Malc]

With Thohir's position in Indonesian politics, does that mean we're at risk of being expelled from the AFC Asian Cup?

No, unless he tries to interfer with the football organisation in Indonesië. He is just a rich business man helping promote football all over the globe. And he is a happy agent for the Indonesian government.

 

[Carpy]

No, unless he tries to interfer with the football organisation in Indonesië. He is just a rich business man helping promote football all over the globe. And he is a happy agent for the Indonesian government.

Does seem to be a fine line to me, you see him involved with those at the heart of Indonesian football all the time. Maybe his relationship with Infantino will save him from too much scrutiny.

 

[chuckbert]

Does seem to be a fine line to me, you see him involved with those at the heart of Indonesian football all the time. Maybe his relationship with Infantino will save him from too much scrutiny.

I’m not sure how fine a line that really is. There is interest in football, and there is formal government interference. You could get banned if there is something underhand going on I guess, but the example of Congo is a formal governance measure, which is definitely not a fine line to step over.

 

[SteMerritt]

There is interest in football, and there is formal government interference.

...which is the argument the Premier League have tried to use to stop the 'Independent Regulator' becoming a thing, completely ignoring the first of those two words.

 

[Emilio]

But can someone explain to me what is so wrong about the state running their respective FA? If our FA were a branch of the Ministry for Sport and Equalities, how would that impact anything?

Would it be due to the FA's voting rights as part of UEFA/FIFA being potentially politically charged? Or because it would have to be run entirely as a non-profit, making it tricky for FIFA's mass-commercialisation of football to operate to the extent they want?

 

[Colin B]

Does seem to be a fine line to me, you see him involved with those at the heart of Indonesian football all the time. Maybe his relationship with Infantino will save him from too much scrutiny.

I wouldn't be so sure of that. Erick is seen as a future head of FIFA, and therefore a rival to Infantino. Our majority shareholder could be the most powerful person in world football in a few years time.

 

[SSO]

But can someone explain to me what is so wrong about the state running their respective FA? If our FA were a branch of the Ministry for Sport and Equalities, how would that impact anything?

Would it be due to the FA's voting rights as part of UEFA/FIFA being potentially politically charged? Or because it would have to be run entirely as a non-profit, making it tricky for FIFA's mass-commercialisation of football to operate to the extent they want?

Best for both parties that governments stay out of football affairs. What would reaction in other countries be if Britain won a bid to host a World Cup based on buying votes through foreign policies. Also what are the implications for the country hosting an event which it cannot afford?

There is enough politics in football without allowing governments to directly run their FA. Money talks and unfortunately buys votes and enough corruption exists as it is without putting the various clowns we elect worldwide to get involved.

Many sporting events have not broken even or have failed over the years so why would a government want to get involved. Specifically the Commonwealth Games where Gold Coast pulled the plug or Montreal Olympics in 1976 where they were paying the costs for decades.

It is a good point about non-profit because it is a good reason why you would not get another WC tournament off the ground with all the red tape that would be involved. It is OK for a country to support sport or a bid but not to the point where it is effectively biased towards some other country because it wants some political agreement or financial arrangement.

The Qatar WC was a shambles in my opinion. Promises of fully enclosed air conditioned stadiums wasn’t it? Then moved to November so it screwed up all the fixtures in the major football nations. I chose not to watch it.

 

[Emilio]

Best for both parties that governments stay out of football affairs. What would reaction in other countries be if Britain won a bid to host a World Cup based on buying votes through foreign policies. Also what are the implications for the country hosting an event which it cannot afford?

There is enough politics in football without allowing governments to directly run their FA. Money talks and unfortunately buys votes and enough corruption exists as it is without putting the various clowns we elect worldwide to get involved.

Many sporting events have not broken even or have failed over the years so why would a government want to get involved. Specifically the Commonwealth Games where Gold Coast pulled the plug or Montreal Olympics in 1976 where they were paying the costs for decades.

It is a good point about non-profit because it is a good reason why you would not get another WC tournament off the ground with all the red tape that would be involved. It is OK for a country to support sport or a bid but not to the point where it is effectively biased towards some other country because it wants some political agreement or financial arrangement.

The Qatar WC was a shambles in my opinion. Promises of fully enclosed air conditioned stadiums wasn’t it? Then moved to November so it screwed up all the fixtures in the major football nations. I chose not to watch it.

Yes, that was my thinking regarding voting for tournaments to take part in countries with political alignment.

I chose not to watch the Qatar one on ethical grounds. All those "workers" dying while operating in near-slave conditions to build the stadia...not something I was happy to endorse.

 

[SSO]

Yes, that was my thinking regarding voting for tournaments to take part in countries with political alignment.

I chose not to watch the Qatar one on ethical grounds. All those "workers" dying while operating in near-slave conditions to build the stadia...not something I was happy to endorse.

Very pleased I was not alone in boycotting it. The deaths and the non improvements to human rights were also in my mind but I had made up my mind when I saw that the individuals who had voted for Qatar were also subjects of allegations of corruption.

 

[chuckbert]

But can someone explain to me what is so wrong about the state running their respective FA? If our FA were a branch of the Ministry for Sport and Equalities, how would that impact anything?

Would it be due to the FA's voting rights as part of UEFA/FIFA being potentially politically charged? Or because it would have to be run entirely as a non-profit, making it tricky for FIFA's mass-commercialisation of football to operate to the extent they want?

I would say just look at the USA right now and extrapolate from there …

 

[Emilio]

I would say just look at the USA right now and extrapolate from there …

Tbh I switched off from international football quite a while ago. Once I stopped paying attention to the top flight, I lost track who most of the players in the squads were. I think the last WC I properly paid attention to was the one held in Brazil in 2014. But in the case of Qatar, I fully shut it out.

International football peaked for me in 2006, with Fabio Grosso's winning penalty (though his goal in the 2-0 semi-final win over Germany was the real highlight of the tournament).

 

[werthersoriginal]

Tbh I switched off from international football quite a while ago. Once I stopped paying attention to the top flight, I lost track who most of the players in the squads were. I think the last WC I properly paid attention to was the one held in Brazil in 2014. But in the case of Qatar, I fully shut it out.

International football peaked for me in 2006, with Fabio Grosso's winning penalty (though his goal in the 2-0 semi-final win over Germany was the real highlight of the tournament).

I do vaguely follow the PL via MoTD but have reached the stage where I haven't heard of some new England players ... they tend to be Chelsea or Palace reserves, it seems.

 

[Carpy]

I wouldn't be so sure of that. Erick is seen as a future head of FIFA, and therefore a rival to Infantino. Our majority shareholder could be the most powerful person in world football in a few years time.

I don't doubt it, but it's obvious there is also a relationship there, they're seen together a lot, I think FIFA and Infantino see Indonesia as a future host, it's one of very few up and coming countries in the region with genuine interest in the sport coupled with a massive population.