FIFA Tackles the Serious Issue of Goal Celebrations

It is about time FIFA stopped wasting its energies on unimportant things. Who cares about fan violence in Italy, Germany, Argentina and elsewhere? Why pay the least bit attention to players being showered with racial taunts? No need to worry about diving controversies, the offside rule, incompetent referees and the fact that you have to take out a second mortgage to see a football game in person. Too many international friendlies, corrupt football officials, football jerseys made in sweatshops…these are not issues worth addressing as long as that scourge known as player goal celebrations still exists.

Indeed, FIFA needs to be applauded for taking a hard stance against what is truly ruining the Beautiful Game.

FIFA are to take a tougher line with goal celebrations from next season. They are set to agree new legislation next month that will mean a player must be booked if he climbs on to a perimeter fence to celebrate a goal, removes his shirt over his head or covers his head with his shirt. Referees must also show the yellow card for gestures they consider provocative, derisory or inflammatory. This could extend to a player cupping his ear with his hand or even celebrating a goal in front of the opposing supporters.

It is a good thing that they are thinking about banning the cupping of ears. In fact, they should force players, officials and workers at the Swiss palace to go through life with earplugs in place. That sure would make it easier to block out those other, less important issues.

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Category: World Football