The Message about Fair Play Day hasn’t Quite Been Heard

By: Bob | September 21st, 2006

Today is the International Day of Peace so if you are thinking about starting a war or beating up your neighbor, we kindly request that you please wait until midnight tonight.

In recognition of this day, FIFA has designated the week of September 18-24 for its tenth World Fair Play Day. As is always the case, it is constructive to sit back and read the words of our fair leader, FIFA head honcho Joseph Sepp Blatter.

“Children need strong values to grow up with, and football, being a team sport, makes them realise how essential discipline, respect, team spirit and fair play are for the game and for life,” he commented. “FIFA’s Fair Play campaign involves much more than simply promoting fair play on the pitch during a competition. FIFA is committed to encouraging fair play in society too, beginning with our future – with children,” he said.

“The most common way of commemorating the International Day of Peace is by observing a moment of silence or holding a special ceremony,” the FIFA President added. “FIFA has encouraged its member associations to do this by gathering around a football pitch, highlighting the values of fair play, and reminding the football family of the meaning of peace and the need for commitment to its realisation.”

This is a nice sentiment, indeed, but one that really hasn’t been taken to heart by some fans and players this week. Take, for example, fans in Romania where things got a bit out of control during the Bucharest derby between Steaua and Dinamo on Wednesday. Twenty-eight fans were treated at hospitals for injuries as police used water cannons, rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the crowd. Video of the fun can be seen here.

In Brazil, Santos goalkeeper Fabio Costa decided to take crowd management into his own hands. Following his lousy performance in his team’s draw with Fluminense, Costa got into a confrontation with a fan that led to 15 fans kicking and hitting the keeper. Costa was lucky that he was left with only a bruised cheek and a cut finger.

In England, there is the dark cloud that smells like bungs, but also reports of a fight breaking out in the tunnel after the match between Liverpool and Newcastle Wednesday.

Italy has seen its share of scandals recently and today we learn that two players have been suspended for illegal gambling. Sampdoria’s Francesco Flachi and Atalanta’s Moris Carrozzieri bet on games through a third party after contacting players for inside information.

Even more depressing is the news from Poland where the racism bug has appeared yet again. First Division side Pogon Szczecin has filed a complaint after its 10 Brazilian players (yes, 10 Brazilians on one team in Poland) were subjected to racial abuse from a bunch of idiots from Lechia Gdansk. We’re going to say that a few of the 300 or so who threw bananas and chanted fascist slogans were probably also involved with the skirmish in the video below that took place earlier this year.

Clubs around the world might take a moment of silence before this weekend’s matches, but there should be no silence when it comes to recognizing that football and its culture still has a long ways to go in the peace and fair play department.