2007-05-30 - FIFA Bans High-altitude International Matches
This is the biggest bunch of crap that I've ever seen! I'm sorry but this has bias written all over it. I have nothing against Brazil or Argentina but it is time that FIFA stopped bowing their heads at teams with a big history in the world game. Sure they have had a big influence in the game, but giving them any special privileges is not warranted. What makes these members and different from others? Nothing! And before you turn this around and ask whether those Andean nations are getting special privileges by allowing games at these altitudes, it's hardly that they had a choice when the earth was shaped now was it! Sure, they can chose where to play the games and some of those places may be at high altitude, but how does this make it any difference from the Russian FA choosing a venue in their country? They could go from sub-tropical conditions to severe cold! This is just not fair and it should be reversed straight away. Rather than banning such matches, it would be far simpler just to allow players involved in such matches more time to adjust to the high altitude. Now that would be a sensible rule that attacks the real problem, not a fudge that takes away a natural advantage. From what I've read is that adjustment to height is the key, and that symptoms of altitude sickness usually disappear within a couple of days. So this is just bollocks! To say that nobody has died in high altitude matches is a point these nations are making, but of course we should not wait to ban matches if there is indeed a very high health risk. Saying that, then we must also ban matches at extreme temperatures or matches where there is an extreme level of humidity. If we are to follow these shallow rules then the whole 1994 World Cup should also not have taken place, and we'd never see a Mexican World Cup again. I'm sorry but placing an immediate ban on altitude matches is wrong, VERY wrong and gives a very bad impression of FIFA. I for one would like these nations to boycott the upcoming Copa America and the 2010 World Cup qualification matches. Unfortunately together they would probably make little impact, but it might get support from other nations that see the problem with this biased decision. If the other South American nations are so scared of high altitude then they should just not play the match and FIFA should award the points to the team playing at high altitude. There's nothing to stop Chile building a stadium in the Atacama desert, or Argentina building one at the southern tip of their country where conditions are less than favourable, and these high altitude nations would have to go ahead and play the game. This is all just part of the game, and FIFA are intent on destroying the natural advantage these teams have.
If FIFA is so concerned about the health of the players, then ban matches played in Los Angeles because of the smog, Bangkok because of the heat and humidity, Tokyo and Jakarta because of the earthquakes, etc. Get real!
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2007-05-30 - Argentina |
| Posted by rdasilva |
OK, apparently it seems Argentina is against the ban if we are to believe Bolivian claims.
http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=ap-bolivia-altitudeban&prov=ap&type=lgns |
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2007-06-05 - Altitude |
| Posted by Kirill |
You are correct about altitude adjustment. You get tired more quickly if you do any physical exercise within the first two days of arrival. To fully acclimate you need about five days. To give players five days prior to a competitive match would be a good idea anyway, but of course it would mean lost revenue for the top clubs and so it won't happen.
As far as the reaction, you know my opinion of FIFA, it's degraded to a point where it will be easier to start a new organization than to fix the existing one. There is no reason to boycott Copa America, but the 2010 qualifiers are in real danger at this point. Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela are getting together this month to discuss the course of action. Of course you know all these countries have governments that don't like to be pushed over, and the respective football federations will have their support.
So could this be the beginning of a better future for football? |
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2007-06-07 - Re: Altitude |
| Posted by rdasilva |
A better future? Don't bet on it... unfortunately! :-(
Here's more inequality, why does FIFA allow this kind of thing to happen? Surely if they're so concerned about not giving anyone an unfair advantage then weather conditions must also be taken into account! http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=reu-europeisrael&prov=reuters&type=lgns
As usual, one rule for the big teams, another rule for the smaller nations. And I'm sure the reply will be that the bigger nations have more fans. True, but this is discrimination. If you're going to let one country play abroad, then you must let all countries in the group play abroad!
Group E could go down to goal difference, and because of this Israel could miss out. Totally unfair. |
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