FIFA "fined all four home nations for displaying poppies during World Cup qualifiers around Armistice Day," according to the BBC. England and Scotland players wore armbands featuring the symbol when they met at Wembley Stadium on Nov. 11. Wales and Northern Ireland's respective games "featured displays on the pitch or in the stands to mark the event." England was fined 45,000 Swiss francs ($44,000), Scotland and Wales 20,000 Swiss francs ($19,500) and Northern Ireland 15,000 Swiss francs ($14,700). FIFA Disciplinary Committee Chair Claudio Sulser said that he "fully respected" the commemorations but stressed the rules "need to be applied to all member associations." Sulser: "The display, among others, of any political or religious symbol is strictly prohibited. In the stadium and on the pitch, there is only room for sport, nothing else" (BBC, 12/19). In Dublin, Emmet Malone reported the Irish FA (FAI) "has had what appears to be a token fine" imposed by FIFA in respect to the commemorative shirts worn by Irish players in the friendly against Switzerland last March. The game’s governing body has fined the association 5,000 Swiss francs ($4,900) for the "breach of regulations involved in the shirts carrying an inscription relating to the centenary of the Easter Rising" (IRISH TIMES, 12/19).
PLAYERS' RESPONSIBILITY: ESPN.com's Stephan Uersfeld reported FIFA President Gianni Infantino said that the governing body is "not responsible for players' tax arrangements" after accusations were leveled at some of football's biggest names. In recent weeks, German news magazine Der Spiegel and its partners within the European Investigative Collaborations have published "numerous stories on the lack of transparency in the players' agent market as well as reporting on alleged tax avoidance schemes" involving Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo and ManU Manager José Mourinho, among others. Infantino: "If somebody does not pay taxes or drives too fast or causes an accident while under the influence of alcohol or whatever then FIFA is not responsible for it. I think that it's not a question of FIFA regulations. Everyone has to pay taxes and abide by the laws, and everyone is responsible for his actions before the prosecuting and tax authorities. If someone breaks the national tax regulations then it's up to the authorities to take care of it" (ESPN.com, 12/19).
'NO WORLD POLICE': Uersfeld reported in a separate piece FIFA is set to look into the "football-related findings of the McLaren report," which uncovered a state-sponsored doping program in Russia. When presenting his findings in London, Richard McLaren said that "33 football players, including foreigners, were concerned, and added that the evidence will now be passed on to FIFA." Infantino said that the governing body "has not yet had the chance to look at the findings of the report but added that he could not rule out taking measures if needed to." He said, "FIFA is no world police and certainly not the world doping police. FIFA is the international governing body for football. Our disciplinary committees will deal with everything that has to do with football in the McLaren report" (ESPN.com, 12/19).
CHILE BANNED AGAIN: REUTERS' Brian Homewood reported Chile has been handed a stadium ban for the third time in the 2018 World Cup qualifying competition because of "homophobic chanting" by its fans, FIFA said on Monday. Chile will have to play "two more games away from the Estadio Nacional" in addition to an existing ban. It was also fined 30,000 Swiss francs ($29,000). Already forced to "find an alternative venue for the match against Venezuela in March," Chile must also face Paraguay and Ecuador away from its largest stadium and the traditional venue for important int'ls (REUTERS, 12/19).
LIFE BANS: The BBC reported in a separate piece two former senior officials who have pleaded guilty to criminal corruption charges "have been banned from football-related activity" for life by FIFA. The governing body began its own investigation into Rafael Callejas and Alfredo Hawit after they were "among 16 football officials arrested" by U.S. authorities in Zurich in Dec. '15. Hawit and Callejas pleaded guilty to racketeering and wire fraud conspiracy charges in the U.S. earlier this year. FIFA's ethics committee said that the men "took bribes from marketing companies over the awarding of commercial rights for World Cup qualifying matches" (BBC, 12/19).
