FIFA is starting it’s inquiry into the Diafra Sakho affair today.
West Ham and the player are expecting to know the outcome of the probe into the club v country row with Senegal within a few days.
But a well placed club source told ClaretandHugh exclusively: “It’s only Round One and if we don’t get the outcome we want we have the right to appeal and will.”
The club has already appealed for an immediate dismissal of the proceedings claiming they have fully adhered to the rules on the player’ absence from the Senegal national team.
In trying to understand where this could lead we have looked at the Fifa Rule book and here’s what it has to say on such issues.
Restrictions on Playing
“A player who has been called up by his association for one of its representative teams is, unless otherwise agreed by the relevant association, not entitled to play for the club with which he is registered during the period for which he has been released or should have been released pursuant to the provisions of this annexe. This restriction on playing for the club shall, moreover, be prolonged by five days, in the event that the player, for whatever reason, did not wish to or could not comply to the call-up.”
Disciplinary measures
1. Violations of any of the provision set forth in this annexe shall result in the imposition of disciplinary measures.
2.If a club refuses to release a player or neglects to do so despite the provisions of this annexe, the Fifa Players’ Status Committee shall furthermore request the association to which the player belongs to declare any match (es) in which the player took part to have been lost by the club concerned. Any points thus gained by the club in question shall be forfeited. Any match contested according to the Cup system shall be regarded as having been one by the opposing team irrespective of the score.”
However, should Fifa find against the Irons and decide on the ultimate sanction it’s likely they will run into big opposition from our own Football Association.
If we “have fully adhered to the rules on the player’ absence from the Senegal national team”. Why didn’t he play against Liverpool? Doesn’t look good.
I would have really preferred he playen at Liverpool and not at Bristol. It looks now we could face a situation in the FA CUP, our unique chance to go back on European football.
If we are banned from Cup, I assume this is a huge failure in team management and we should sack the one who made it.
Apologies for my ignorance on this but … did West Ham actually refuse to release Sakho for international duty? I know that the club informed Senegal that he was injured (too injured to fly), provided all medical documentation and made him available for examination in London but did they actually state that he could not leave? If Senegal, after receiving the medical information, chose not to select him, isn’t that kind of an out for WHU? I mean, at no point were they denied access to him other than Sakho not flying to Senegal to be seen by the very people that injured him last year.
2 above doesn’t look like a big problem as the club neither refused nor neglected to release Sakho. He was simply injured and therefore quite reasonably unavailable at the time of call up. If Senegal wanted to take advantage of the opportunity that he may be fit at a later date, before their involvement in the ACON ceased, then they should have named him in their squad. That they did not, surely means that he should be available to his club when he regained his fitness…until of course those nice, moral, incorruptible officials at FIFA get involved. There shouldn’t be a problem though, as they are always very even handed where English matters are involved.
Would the club like me to go and present their case?
There is an alternative defence that could be presented to FIFA.
We could claim that the club could not send Sakho to ACON as it infringed his human rights. The previous occasion he answered a Senegal call up he was subjected to cruel and unnecessary treatment, possibly amounting to torture, at the hands of Senegal officers posing as medical staff. This clearly resulted in bodily injuries, which he continues to suffer from and psychological scars in the form of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder which could take years to overcome. In circumstances such as these, it would be criminal to forcibly return Sakho to the very people who had inflicted this ordeal upon him and leave him at their mercy.
How is that?
He biggest problem is Blatter and his cronies,we all know he has the Africans and Arabs in his pocket and ther is a anti English factor because we know how corrupt FIFA can be.
I agree with sparrow the minute Senegal chose not to pick him for there squad or give him a medical all the rules stopped as he was no longer a selection for there squad,
But we all know money talks and it’s what Senegal and Bristol are after,
I am very patriotic but if I were Sakho I would never put that shirt on my back again as they have insulted his integrity,
the problem is when people start thinking they own the player they pay his wages so he can do whatever they tell him including putting his club above his country. We were warned not to play sakho until after afcon was over. We were told fifa rules didn’t allow it. Even senegal were reported as saying it in the media but someone chose to ignore the advice. Someone thought they knew better.
I’m sure the most up to date rules state “other than injury” I read that somewhere yesterday but can’t remember where. I’ll post it when I do!