Markus Merk cites age discrimination re FIFA's age limit

[colins1993]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=483388&cc=5901

[falcon.7]

Well he's right... Although I will say that the age limit does guarantee opportunities for younger referees to come in and do games they deserve. It is unfair for a nation's "2nd FIFA" to never get the matches they deserve simply because they are a few years younger than their country's top guy. On the other hand, we lost Collina when he was at his best because of this rule.

[NHRef]

If they can pass assessments, pass the physical and pass the written, why not have them ref?

[Englishref]

Unfortunately for Merk, the age discrimination law is an EU thing, but he's not on the UEFA list, he's on the FIFA list, so there's no reason why FIFA have to remove it, as UEFA would were they the governing body. The DFB should have removed it (if they haven't already), as The FA have, but that'll be little consolation.