FIFA Giving The Old F-U To F-U-N
By: chris | March 9th, 2008
For the second time in two weeks, a Serie A player scored a decisive goal in a game, took his shirt off to celebrate and was immediately handed his marching orders for a second yellow card. Siena’s Massimo Maccarone scored a sublime free kick in the 80th minute against Tuscan rival Fiorentina and was so pleased with his accomplishment that he took his shirt off to celebrate. Hell, the goal was so fantastic I almost took my shirt off to celebrate. But was a second yellow card necessary for something which wasn’t even close to being “ungentlemanly”? Surely it was at least a touch more “gentlemanly” than Sepp suggesting females wear short shorts and show off their breasts a little more, yes?
Sure, if you want to take the word “gentlemanly” at its roots, then no, it wasn’t. The celebration was child-like. Like a child who had just scored and incredibly meaningful goal against a local rival in a season which had seen few ups and far too many downs. A child who had just practically given his team the lifeline with which to stave off relegation and fight another year against the big boys of calcio. Like a child who achieved something the referee and board members could never truly understand the firsthand joy of, and factor in the sheer euphoria and loss of judgment after something so uplifting. Like a child who is being allowed to play a game he loves so much for as long as his body can hold up and displaying that joy.
Pablo Osvaldo was guilty of the same infraction last weekend against Juventus, and was sent off after scoring a goal which catapulted Fiorentina to victory in the 94th minute. Shirt off, red card. That meant he missed this decisive game, and a chance to help further cement Fiorentina’s 4th place status this weekend; and of course, assist in grabbing the priceless Champions League spot next year. Milan made up the points, and is now just 4 points behind Fiorentina. Osvaldo’s presence may have helped, may not. But is taking one’s shirt off really something worth not knowing over?
In the end, Siena won 1-0 and Maccarone’s red card didn’t matter - but it might next week. Do we really need the shirt on, shirt off debate deciding our seasons? Isn’t footballing difficult enough as it is? And isn’t Sepp Blatter, a man of infinitely stupid decisions, as worthy of a red card offense for “ungentlemanly conduct” as anyone? Sepp has caused enough havoc within the game, maybe he should just let the boys take their shirts off. This is a child’s game, after all.
(Stepping down off the soapbox now….)
Category: Serie A
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Comments
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Amen, Chris. Heaven forbid the players show passion.
Posted from
United States
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Yeah, well said. I had no idea it was about being ‘gentlemanly.’ Blatter does know he isn’t heading the International Cricket Council, right?
I always assumed that it was penalised because they wanted to discourage players sloganeering by wearing tee-shirts with messages on them underneath - which is in itself is a v questionable thing to discipline. But even were that the case, it’d be much easier to hand out retrospective punishments [like a fine] for players violating the rule.
Posted from
India -
word, got a card for that in highschool and then got a second for bitching at the ref about it, its a dumb rule, kinda like how the NFL asseses penalties during a game and fines players for celebrating. Its dumb.
Posted from
United States -
I’ve said it so many times before, Sepp Blatter needs to be silenced, silenced for good.
Posted from
United States -
Thank god in Turkey they let the players do whatever they want. Jump into the fans (Okan Buruk), point at a poster which has the most filthiest insult you can imagine (Tuncay Sanli), and show the finger to the opposing fans (Gheorghe Hagi. All have been done as the referee watched and smiled.
Posted from
United States -
I’ve never understood the “logic” behind the “don’t take your shirt off” rule. But I’m with everyone else who thinks that football would be far better if Sepp Blatter just didn’t talk anymore, ever.
Posted from
Italy -
I think the logic behind the shirt removal policy dates back to a while back, a FIFA officials noticed that some players who removed their shirt were then unable to put it back on.
As it turns out certain shirt designs back then, used to include another layer of fabric on the inside (probably to maximize perspiration), a fragile layer actually, which would rip to shreds during post-goal celebrations if the players took off their shirt without being too careful. The player would then have to come off the field and be given a replacement shirt, the whole thing would look very ridiculous on TV and delay the game unnecessarily.
With that said, the official FIFA rules state that even simply raising your shirt over your head (without necessarily removing it) is also punishable by a yellow card, negating perhaps the justification I just offered. Regardless, that whole “gentlemanly” thing Blatter seems to advocate makes no sense at all, so I’m with you on that one Chris.
This is the same man who would not allow Cameroon to wear their one-piece kit for the 2004 African Cup of Nations. Utter BS.
Posted from
United States -
I think it is a dumb rule, but I certainly don’t feel bad for the player when they obviously know the rules.
Posted from
United States
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