Rio: How NOT to handle a doping case

[kwik1980]

Sepp Blatter was in England meeting with government officials on the matter of drugs in sport, and since he's been SO full of good ideas lately (read the heavy sarcasm), he felt the need to lecture Tony Blair on the spectacular screw-up that was the Rio Ferdinand drug case.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/headlinenews?id=292970&cc=5901

To be fair, he was actually right on this one. Apparently the FA did violate FIFA doping rules on this one. The rules state that if a player fails to take a drug test, he is to be immedaitely suspended until the relevant orginization can investigate the matter. The FA didn't suspend Rio right off, and by the time FIFA found out what was going on, it was too late for them to do anything, so the FA gets to have the "don't do this!" page in the FIFA "how to handle drug tests" pamphlet.

[Matt Clark]

Yes, there's nothing remotely nauseating about the spectacle of the man who single-handedly blocked FIFA's entry into the IDDC's global doping regime getting all high and mighty about the fallibility of others in handling doping cases.

The sooner this man dies in as agonising and prolonged a manner as is physiologically possible, the better.

[Dr. Wankler]

Originally posted by Matt Clark
The sooner this man dies in as agonising andprolonged a manner as is physiologically possible, the better.

Pick one, Matt. Can't have it both ways here.

Unless of course the prolonged agony forces him into retirement...

[Matt Clark]

The sooner the prolonged process of his agonising death begins, the better.

I can have my cake and eat it!

[superdave]

I guess "The Passion of the Christ" hasn't made it to England yet.

[Matt Clark]

Yeah it has, but nothing in it is suitably horrific for this particular need.

[prk166]

What is it with the Swiss and their high horses? Doesn't Sepp have some more money to imbezzle from FIFA?

[Mobile]

Originally posted by superdave
I guess "The Passion of the Christ" hasn't made it to England yet.

Is that the film where Mel Gibson blames the English for the crucifixion?

[Alan_V]

[i]To be fair, he was actually right on this one. Apparently the FA did violate FIFA doping rules on this one. The rules state that if a player fails to take a drug test, he is to be immedaitely suspended until the relevant orginization can investigate the matter. The FA didn't suspend Rio right off, and by the time FIFA found out what was going on, it was too late for them to do anything, so the FA gets to have the "don't do this!" page in the FIFA "how to handle drug tests" pamphlet. [/B]

Not sure of this being a Yank , or a lawyer for that matter, but I'll go out on a limb. Let me first say that Rio should have been suspended from all football because it was obvious that he did miss a test and admitted to it. That's like pleading guilty in the U.S. No trial necessary and you throw yourself on the mercy of the court.

That said, the FA DID suspend Rio almost immediately by not allowing him to play for England in an international event, somewhere where FIFA rules can be applied. What may possibly be at issue here is the authority of FIFA with respect to British law and Rio's rights under same. Application of law would likely take presedence over FIFA's rules in a domestic game. The FA is probably better equipped to evaluate how the FIFA rule would be applied with respect to any legal action that Rio or United would take which would undoubtedly drag it out even further than it was. I doubt he would have said anything to Mr. Blair if it was as cut and dried IN HIS FAVOUR as he wants everyone to believe. Mr. Blatter is either ignorant of those potential consequences or feels he's above them.

[kwik1980]

That may be the case, but then the argument is that if Rio was suspended from the international squad, he shouldn't have been able to play for Manchester United, as FIFA rules hold for the club game as well, unless the FA had some sort of special approval when it came to the issue of player discipline. The issues of English law vs. FIFA statutes would have then had to be played out in the courts.

In other words, the assumption of guilt can't be selective. If the rule is "you miss a test, we consider it a failure, and you're suspended", he should have been suspended from everything, not just the international. Wether he should be suspended, period, is another matter.

[superdave]

Originally posted by Mobile
Is that the film where Mel Gibson blames the English for the crucifixion?
Only the Jewish ones.