SPORTS SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2014

Unrealistic boycott could splinter sport, experts say

ZURICH: A European-led boycott of FIFA or FIFA,” said Simon Chadwick, professor of Colombians paid top players directly to quit but there would be reconciliation, and if the the World Cup is unrealistic in the foreseeable sport business strategy and marketing at their clubs and join their outlawed league, Europeans don’t get their act together, there future and, even if a breakaway were to even- Coventry University in central England. football has managed to remain largely free will be no reform.” tually take place, experts say it could leave “Longer term, it is a possibility... but it’s a of breakaways. A boycott could easily backfire, Chadwick soccer’s administration hopelessly splintered. big call for the dissenting nations as it would FIFA has expanded significantly since the warned, pointing to boxing which is now FIFA has been plagued by a wave of scan- create a multitude of political and organisa- 1960s and early ‘70s when only one World governed by four world bodies. dals and controversy, ranging from allega- tional problems for domestic and continental Cup slot was on offer to all Asian and African “The divisive way in which boxing has tions of corruption in the 2018/2022 World associations.” countries combined, leading to a boycott of developed is an object lesson in how not to Cup bidding process to a row over $25,000 the 1966 competition by many countries in effectively address the importance of organi- watches gifted to executive committee mem- LITTLE APPETITE those two confederations. sation, governance and commercial change,” bers at the World Cup in Brazil. Kevin Carpenter, a sports lawyer specialis- Brazilian Joao Havelange, who became he said. “Football faces intense competition Anger mounted last month when a FIFA’s ing in governance and integrity, said a boy- president in 1974, opened the doors to those from many other sports around the world ethics report identified inappropriate and cott was unlikely to gather much support out- nations previously marginalised by the pow- and the last thing the sport needs is for a “problematic” conduct by people involved in side Europe, and that there was little appetite erful Europeans and South Americans and fragmentation of power, agreements and a number of bids involved in the race to host for change in much of the globe. “It is only a offered one nation one vote at Congresses, markets.”FIFA can ill-afford to lose credibility the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, won by small handful of European nations plus leading to the modern organisation which at a time when the power and wealth of Russia and Qatar respectively, but found Australia and maybe the United States who now boasts 209 national associations. European clubs continues to grow and some insufficient grounds to recommend a re-vote. feel aggrieved. The rest of the world finds the critics see international football as being With soccer’s governing body seemingly system works for them.” COULD BACKFIRE over-shadowed by competitions like the oblivious to criticism and its president Sepp FIFA presidential candidate Jerome But the positive work is seemingly over- Champions League and England’s Premier Blatter favourite to be elected for a fifth term Champagne, who himself has proposed shadowed by continuing scandals. Although League. in May, there have been calls for co-ordinated sweeping changes to the way FIFA is run, said Blatter says FIFA’s reformed ethics committee Champagne has warned that soccer could action to force change. Two former English a boycott was the wrong approach. is an example to other sports, other recom- follow basketball and end up with all its top FA chairmen, David Bernstein and David “It’s not possible to boycott FIFA, the play- mendations such as an age limit for leading players concentrated in one or two leagues, Triesman, have called for European teams to ers want to play the World Cup, public opin- directors, or a restricting of the number of completely detached from the rest of the boycott the 2018 World Cup, while German ion wants to play the World Cup,” he said. “Mr mandates they can serve, have not been sport, if the trend towards elitism is not con- Football League president Reinhard Rauball Bernstein and Mr Rauball should join the adopted. Jens Sejer Andersen, international tained. pondered the idea of UEFA’s member associ- effort of making the necessary changes. director of Danish sports governance watch- “If we want to continue that way, we don’t ations pulling away from FIFA. Boycotts never function. I’m more worried dog Play the Game, said he was not advocat- need a strong FIFA,” he said. “We can make “In the short to medium-term this is a about the image of FIFA and its capacity to ing a boycott, but that the Europeans must do with a vague structure which organises completely unrealistic option, and state- govern, to be credible.” “get their act together”. the World Cup every four years... where one ments coming out of the likes of England are Apart from a short-lived Colombian exper- “If a number of major football countries country, or one league or a few clubs would Germany are simply shots across the bows of iment from 1949 to 1954, where the decided on a boycott then it would be a risk have the deciding power.” —Reuters

Stramaccioni Marseille and PSG in race for back for revenge Christmas bragging rights MILAN: Former handler Andrea Stramaccioni PARIS: With three matches until the Ligue has admitted the challenge of toppling his former club 1 winter break, the enthralling battle won’t be easy when he returns to the San Siro for the first between Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain time since his sacking last year. promises more twists in the race to be top Stramaccioni became the youngest coach in of the table at Christmas. two years ago when he replaced in March Marcelo Bielsa’s Marseille pacesetters 2012, but was sacked by the end of the following season cling to their one point lead over Laurent when Inter struggled to a ninth place finish. After a solid Blanc’s unbeaten PSG side after both sides start, his Udinese side have taken only two points from were held to a draw on the road in mid- their last five games and have dropped to ninth, 16 points week. behind leaders Juventus. The two-time defending champions A trip to Inter would always be a tough prospect for the blew a chance to return to the summit on northerners, but they face a side that is beginning to find Wednesday when they were held 1-1 at its feet under new coach . struggling Lille while Marseille also wasted Stramaccioni, 38, believes Inter, who drew 1-1 with two points after settling for the same Milan in the city derby two weeks ago, showed plenty of scoreline at Lorient. improvement even in a 4-2 defeat away to Roma last PSG host Nantes at the Parc des Princes week. “It will be a tough game because from the derby to today with a chance to at least take tempo- Roma last week, Inter have shown they have improved,” rary possession of top spot before Stramaccioni told reporters. “But we’ll be going to the San Marseille entertain Metz at the Velodrome Siro to play our game and with our heads held high.” 24 hours later. On what is his second spell at the club, Mancini suf- PSG then travel to Guingamp before fered his first defeat at the Olympic Stadium last week FRANCE: Marseille’s Moroccan midfielder Abdelaziz Barrada controls the ball hosting Montpellier in their final match where he was sent off for dissent. in this file photo. — AFP before the break, while Marseille are in The defeat dropped Inter to 11th, 17 points behind Monaco on the penultimate weekend and December we have a series of five match- over arch rivals Lyon last Sunday, and a no- leaders Juventus but only six behind Napoli in the third then finish with a home tie against Lille. es. We decided early on he would not nonsense 2-0 win at 2012 champions and last Champions League spot. Blanc said there were few regrets about make the trip to Lille.” continued the for- Montpellier in midweek. Christophe However the Italian, who won seven trophies including the stalemate at Lille during a match in mer centre-half. Marseille, who held a sev- Galtier’s exciting side can keep the pres- three consecutive scudetti with the club in 2004-2008, has which he gave last season’s Ligue 1 top en point lead over PSG after 10 of 16 sure on the top three when they host base- been welcomed with open arms by a team desperate to scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic the night off. matches this season, can look no further ment dwellers Bastia on Saturday. finish third this season. “I’m satisfied with the draw because I than their away form and a drop in goals Brittany club and French Cup finalists Defender Andrea Ranocchia believes Mancini’s arrival saw phases of play that I haven’t seen with from top scorer Andre-Pierre Gignac for Rennes, who host Montpellier the same has brought fresh energy and ambition to the club. PSG for a long time,” said Blanc. “In my their stuttering results of late. evening, and Bordeaux, who await Lorient “Mancini is a believer right to the end, he believes in all of opinion our play was much more fluid that at the Stade Chaban-Delmas, are both in us and in the Champions League,” Ranocchia told in previous weeks but of course we’re dis- Gignac continues to lead the scoring the mix just a point behind Saint-Etienne. Gazzetta dello Sport. appointed not to go top. charts on 11 alongside Lyon’s Alexandre Lyon stayed third, a point above Saint- “You can see in in the way he talks to us-together in a “I rested Zlatan because of our sched- Lacazette, but the French international has Etienne, after Lacazette’s injury-time win- group, individually, when he’s talking tactics and the rest, ule. You can’t just come back from this only found the target once in his last six ner over Reims on Thursday and they travel he conveys serenity and confidence. type of injury after seven weeks out,” matches. “We’ve been creating chances to Evian on Sunday. “He also has a history of success, and that matters a added the former France and Bordeaux and playing well but our problem has not Last season’s runners-up Monaco open lot.” Champions and leaders Juventus are away to coach on the Swede’s return from a heel been playing away from home, it has been the weekend slate on Friday when they Fiorentina late yesterday. Roma, who sit three points problem. “November was a tough month a lack of efficiency in front of goal,” make the short trip to Toulouse, Lens have adrift in second, would be forgiven for hoping the cham- and I have to manage the squad. We want- explained Bielsa. a chance to escape the relegation zone at pions suffer a repeat of last season and drop precious NO NONSENSE ed to rest Ibra (Ibrahimovic) because he home to Lille while Reims entertain points. —AFP just played three matches in a row and in Elsewhere, Saint-Etienne are six points Guingamp and Caen meet Nice in off top after their first home win in 20 years Normandy. — AFP