Or Eal.
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12:48 11Dec2007 RTRS-Soccer-FIFA executive committee to assess goal-line trial
By Mark Ledsom
BERNE, Switzerland, Dec 11 (Reuters) - The use of technology in deciding goal-line debates will be back on the agenda this weekend when FIFA's executive committee meets to assess trials being carried out at the Club World Cup in Tokyo.
In a statement released on Tuesday, world soccer's governing body said "the latest results and conclusions regarding goal-line technology will be one of the main topics" of Saturday's meeting in the Japanese capital.
The executive committee meeting, taking place the day before the Club World Cup final, will also reconsider controversial proposals to ban international football matches at high altitude stadiums.
FIFA introduced a ban on matches played more than 2,500 metres above sea level in May but lifted the ruling a month later following strong protests in South America and a visit to FIFA headquarters by Bolivian president Evo Morales.
The executive committee is now set to look at the matter as part of a more wide-ranging debate on football being played in all form of extreme conditions, basing its decisions on a report drawn up at a medical experts' conference in Zurich last month.
FIFA's top body is also due to discuss a proposal by its legal department aimed at resolving an eligibility row between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland football associations.
The proposal, which would allow players from across the island to freely choose which national team they play for, has been strongly criticised by the Northern Irish association who argue that the best young players from the north will be tempted south if the plan is adopted.
Lets hope the common sense proposal adopted by FIFA is confirmed and we can get on with getting Ireland to the world cup.
From FIFA's media release today:
'The Executive Committee decided to leave the current regulations regarding the eligibility of players to represent association teams unchanged.'
Does this mean we won?
From FIFA's media release today:
'The Executive Committee decided to leave the current regulations regarding the eligibility of players to represent association teams unchanged.'
As no rule or regulation change was proposed I'd say this allows NI born players to play for ROI. Probably not the end of it mind ...they've kicked to touch.
It would appear that the current regulations which allow players born in the 32 counties to choose the Republic will remain unchanged.
The compromise was not deemed worthy by the FIFA legal dept, (due to lack of consensus, IFA and FAI ?) so the Executive board decided not to add the compromise into the statutes.
FIFA would not impose a compromise unless both Federations were agreeable.
So they bottled making a decision basically.Quote:
'The Executive Committee decided to leave the current regulations regarding the eligibility of players to represent association teams unchanged.
Probably business as usual then so. Since the precedent has been set with Gibson, referred to FIFA who then took no action, I think we can we take it that players from the North are free to play for Ireland.
No bottling at all. The statutes are already decisivly fixed.
It appears that the statutes always favoured the players.
It is FIFA practice to allow associations to make an agreement. FIFA proposed an agreement but the 2 associations failed to support the agreement 100%.
So there is nothing to decide upon. An easy afternoons work for the executive committee and FIFA can say "well we tried".
http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=c...k=view&id=2733
The Football Association of Ireland welcomes the decision of FIFA’s Executive Committee to leave the current regulations regarding the eligibility of players to represent association teams unchanged.
An FAI spokesman said: “In October 2006, FIFA’s Legal Department ruled that players born in Northern Ireland are entitled to play for the Republic of Ireland if they choose.
“Following today’s Executive Committee meeting, senior FIFA sources have confirmed to us that the status quo remains and the FAI may continue to select players born in Northern Ireland who declare that they wish to play for the Republic of Ireland.”
Earlier, the Northern Ireland governing body, the IFA, claimed victory in the row between the two Irish associations.However an FAI statement said that it "welcomed" Fifa's decision."Senior Fifa sources have confirmed to us that the status quo remains and the FAI may continue to select players born in Northern Ireland," added the FAI.An FAI spokesman added: "In October 2006, Fifa's Legal Department ruled that players born in Northern Ireland are entitled to play for the Republic of Ireland if they choose."Saturday's brief, one sentence statement from Fifa on the controversy said that current rules were being left "unchanged".The Irish FA said that it was interpreting that as Fifa abandoning a proposal to allow Northern Ireland-born players to play the Republic of Ireland."I was always quietly confident. Fifa is just upholding its own rules," said IFA president Raymond Kennedy, prior to the FAI statement.Last month, the IFA was angered by Fifa's legal department's proposal that players born in Northern Ireland should be allowed to play for the Republic.The FAI has consistently argued that Fifa rules does give them the right to field Northern Ireland-born players.And with Fifa regulations unchanged after Saturday's decision, the Republic of Ireland association's stance is unaltered.On-loan Wolves midfielder Darron Gibson recently played for the Republic in a Euro 2008 qualifier.He was born in Derry in Northern Ireland but elected to switch to the Republic after representing the north at Under-16 level.Northern Ireland's political parties have got involved in the controversy and the Republic of Ireland's Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern also said that Northern Ireland-born players should be allowed to play for the Republic, if they wished.Unionist politicians claimed that Fifa rules allowing Northern Ireland-born players to play for the Republic could "sectarianise" the Northern Ireland team.
How can both sides leave thinking the opposite decision has been made? The Northern Irish paper Sunday Life is trumpeting a victory for the IFA.:confused:
If the statement from Co Down Green is correct then the decision is clear.
and the FAI may continue to select players born in Northern Ireland who declare that they wish to play for the Republic of Ireland.”
Denial is not a new phenomenon for our Northern neighbours.
If they are concerned about sectarianising the team then perhaps they could make a start with their supporters. Then sell the benefits of playing for them to players from the 6 counties rather than using handcuffs.
This is crazy.
IFA claims victory in player row
FAI claims victory in player row
:D
It's a bit like in boxing when both fighters throw their hands up claiming victory in advance of a points decision. Only one ever looks convincing though.