Say it ain't so, Joe.

“Say it ain't so, Joe”... a few thoughts on football and betting syndicates. Well before the Boston White Sox baseball scandal, bribery has been used to influence games of skill . You name the sport, it's had its share. Even the Romans were at it with chariot racing. Boxing, Cricket (way back in the 1880s no less than today), Football.. Association and Gridiron, Tennis, Horse racing, Athletics, Basketball, even Ice Skating have all had their day in court. With betting an ever present temptation for both punters and bribers, the ability of either or both players and referees/umpires/judges to be influenced by greed is as strong today as ever. Taking the human element out of as many performances or decisions as is possible has led to technological advances in virtually every sport. Line calls in tennis; photo-finishes; video replays in rugby; a myriad of developments in cricket together with sides having the right to challenge up to two decisions for a neutral review backed by all the systems available. A correct challenge is not lost. Gridiron has calls adjusted if needs be by off the field adjudicators. Even football has the use of video replays POST the game. This for incidents that the referee may not have spotted that may lead to disciplinary action. Referees and assistants are in walkie-talkie touch with each other, and, in Europa games two additional assistants are on hand by the goal line to help decisions. There is even a 4th official, whose primary task it would appear, is to take the flack from offended managers and/or keep them apart when they start handbags at 10 paces with each other. But unlike other sports, Football, possibly the wealthiest sport in the world is leaving players, managers, fans, owners and referees in a lose:lose situation. One point lost, for certain in the UK Premier League, caused by an incorrect decision can create a loss to a club of around £75 million. Referees are on a hiding to nothing. Good, bad or indifferent, the poor sod in black (or green,fuscia,yellow, whatever) is handicapped to an unbelievable extent. Assuming he is calling it as he sees it, (and as we know, eye witnesses at Identity parades are notoriously fallible) then within seconds, cameras and commentators will be proving that the decision was right or wrong and, maybe, just about to cause one of those £74 million swings. Now the scary bit. Players can suffer trial by video. Their teams have no recourse to video evidence unless used for a post match appeal against a suspension. There is of course, no appeal against CL decisions….video or otherwise. The FA is “governed” by FIFA. Even if it were not, it is still unlikely that that would result in an independent FA running the game for the good of the game…such is the weakness of the organization. FIFA, frequently exposed as an organization having many corrupt individuals at many levels, say that there will be no technology utilized, other of course than those already sanctified. These we know, do not benefit the cause of better decisions made on the field. Various statements made include “Technology would slow the game down.” “The referees are the only judge.” “We would consider goal line technology, if the correct technology can be found.” …ignoring of course the technology already used in tennis and cricket. “We cannot use this technology at all levels of the game.” With the greatest respect, Norsemen 4th Xl playing East Barnet Old Boys 4th Xl in the lower levels of the Southern Amateur League wouldn’t expect it either. They actually pay to play. Now if it were agreed that each Premier/CL/Euro/International side could have two challenges using the technology always available at these games, and, indeed, if the ref was able to call on an adjudicator if he thought there was an area of doubt, time lost/wasted per game…as much as 5 minutes? Maybe each team challenge should cost say £50 000 if incorrect. If correct, no charge and two challenges still available. But strangely, no comments from the powers that be to even contemplate such a move. And one has to ask “WHY?” Why leave refs with the potential of raising suspicion; players and fans with the feeling they have been cheated; clubs potentially missing out on millions of revenue? To my mind, there is but one answer. Corruption is more easily catered for without people asking difficult questions. A footnote: Dermot Gallagher, a PL/FIFA ref for many years had this to say after the World Cup: Former top referee Dermot Gallagher believes that the time has come for video technology to be introduced into football in order to help match officials get key decisions right. The issue has come into focus once more after England had a goal disallowed in their 4-1 defeat by Germany at the World Cup on Sunday. With the score 2-1, Frank Lampard's shot smashed off the underside of the crossbar and clearly crossed the line. The goal was not allowed to stand though, and Gallagher, who refereed for 15 years in the Premier League until retiring in 2007, feels that the time to act on the issue has arrived. "It is ridiculous, because in the Europa League we've got men behind the goal," he told Sky Sports News. "We've got referees miked up in the Premier League, we've got referees' assistants with buzzer flags, we've got all kinds of things to help referees at a higher level because the stakes are so high. "You're playing at the biggest tournament in the world and suddenly a game is decided, or undecided, by something which could have been tidied up in four seconds and it's not a judgement call. "It was actually a statement of fact. The ball was over the line and it would have made such a big impact on the game because England would have scored twice within three minutes and would have been right back in the game."