FIFA and Non Sovereign States

**Stuttgart88** · 21/09/2013, 9:08 PM

Originally Posted by cfdh_edmundo

I remember there were a lot of rumours 5-10 years ago about the senior figures in the Kosovan Goverment (or the KLA, at the time) being involved in organ trafficking. It seemed they would take the organs out of prisoners (and later foreigners who had been promised jobs in the country) and transplant them into fee paying health tourists. Wasn't there some big controversy there where some Turkish kid collapsed at an airport after selling/being forced to sell his kidney, and the trail ended up going back to the Kosovan Health Minister?

In the UK they'd be called entrepreneurs, or wealth creators. As long as they weren't foreign.

**sparky12345678** · 21/09/2013, 9:44 PM

Originally Posted by geysir

That's a desperately pathetic attempt to give a synopsis of the Kosova claim for independence from their imposed (post WW2) connection with Serbia.
But that's not really up for debate in this section.
Kosova is recognised as a republic by the majority in Europe and elsewhere. And it's only a matter of time before de jure becomes de facto.

As to what constitutes a nation is another discussion, but it's not ethnicity, language, religion or race. There are countless examples of nations with various combinations of all 4 components. Discord happens when one ethnic group is treated as 2nd class, suppressed in some shape or form and the ethnic group seeks independence.

Kosovo is NOT recognised by Spain, Greece, Serbia, Bosnia, Romania, Russia, Israel, China, India.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interna...ependent_state
So you need to get China on board. Russia (wont happen), Spain (wont happen) as well as other major countries.
Kosovo as a state has alot of problems (I was there recently) and does not function as a normal state.
As with any conflict there are many issues from both sides to consider in terms of minority rights (Serbs are at risk there and their cultural heritage).

**sparky12345678** · 21/09/2013, 9:55 PM

Originally Posted by geysir

I don't know what criminal activity has to do with Kosovo's popularly recognised claim for independence or what it has to do with validating Serbia's (some would say) bizarre claim to 'own' Kosovo or Kosovo's long campaign to get Uefa/Fifa recognition for their football team.

its not so bizzare the serbian kingdom has its roots there. no more bizzare than irelands claim over N. Ireland

**NeverFeltBetter** · 21/09/2013, 10:16 PM

The one we gave up?

**ArdeeBhoy** · 22/09/2013, 12:20 AM

Think he means the historical and cultural one, rather than any one enshrined in the constitution.

**Gather round** · 22/09/2013, 8:15 AM

Originally Posted by sparky12345678

its not so bizzare the serbian kingdom has its roots there. no more bizzare than irelands claim over N. Ireland

Serbia's claim is largely based on a battle against the Turks in the 14th century, in an area where Serbs have been a minority population (now less than 10%) since the 19th. A better comparison might be if NI had a claim over Drogheda and the Boyne Valley

**ArdeeBhoy** · 22/09/2013, 8:46 AM

Mainly because they allowed it to be settled by ethnic Albanians as the general terrain is so in hospitable.

As for the North, hardly likely they would have a claim on anything given it didn't exist 323 years ago...

**geysir** · 22/09/2013, 11:17 AM

I see the GFA have also been granted the request "to allow the best-placed non-qualified domestic championship club to enter the UEFA Europa League from the 2015/16 season, rather than the domestic cup runners-up, should the domestic cup winners also qualify for the UEFA Champions League via the final championship standings"

That's not a bad idea.

**BonnieShels** · 25/09/2013, 9:38 AM

Originally Posted by geysir

I see the GFA have also been granted the request "to allow the best-placed non-qualified domestic championship club to enter the UEFA Europa League from the 2015/16 season, rather than the domestic cup runners-up, should the domestic cup winners also qualify for the UEFA Champions League via the final championship standings"

That's not a bad idea.

**peadar1987** · 25/09/2013, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy

Mainly because they allowed it to be settled by ethnic Albanians as the general terrain is so in hospitable.

As for the North, hardly likely they would have a claim on anything given it didn't exist 323 years ago...

Too bad for the North that the cut-off for having a legitimate claim to anything was 324 years ago, right?

**Gather round** · 25/09/2013, 10:47 AM

Originally Posted by peadar1987

Too bad for the North that the cut-off for having a legitimate claim to anything was 324 years ago, right?

Was that the last time we won an away qualifier against a non bottom seed?

Apart from a fluke in Slovenia of course.

**ArdeeBhoy** · 25/09/2013, 12:58 PM

No, it was the last time yer wardrobe was remotely, er, 'topical'...

**geysir** · 25/09/2013, 1:24 PM

Originally Posted by Gather round

Was that the last time we won an away qualifier against a non bottom seed?

Apart from a fluke in Slovenia of course.

When times are harder than usual, the word 'fluke' is dropped and replaced with gritty/backs to the walls/courageous victory.

**ArdeeBhoy** · 27/09/2013, 10:24 PM

Originally Posted by geysir

I see the GFA have also been granted the request "to allow the best-placed non-qualified domestic championship club to enter the UEFA Europa League from the 2015/16 season, rather than the domestic cup runners-up, should the domestic cup winners also qualify for the UEFA Champions League via the final championship standings"

That's not a bad idea.

Maybe, but this seems to make a mockery of their club sides, never mind their 'national' team.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24299819

**NeverFeltBetter** · 29/09/2013, 8:51 PM

Whether or not their teams are mockery worthy is beside the point. There are members of UEFA, so those clubs can play in UEFA competitions.

**ArdeeBhoy** · 04/10/2013, 10:57 AM

Which they shouldn't be!

Not over real countries or distinctive regions.

**NeverFeltBetter** · 04/10/2013, 2:33 PM

Well too bad, they are.

**ArdeeBhoy** · 04/10/2013, 3:37 PM

Well, yes.
UEFA knows soo much about the geopolitics of Europe.

Total double standards.

**Stuttgart88** · 06/10/2013, 9:08 AM

Originally Posted by NeverFeltBetter

Whether or not their teams are mockery worthy is beside the point. There are members of UEFA, so those clubs can play in UEFA competitions.

Acc to Independent on Sunday, UEFA wants to invite teams from the Americas to the 2020 Euros, in what seems to be an escalation of the Platter v Platini spat.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/f...p-8861335.html