Open letter to Mr Blatter

**Jayo Cluxton** Fri Nov 20, 2009 11:04 am

precedent

noun precedent prec′·edent

1. an act, statement, legal decision, case, etc. that may serve as an example, reason, or justification for a later one

2. a practice based upon earlier precedents.

A nice word, precedent.

It seems that nothing can happen without it, nothing happened before it and nothing will happen until it happens. A hugely important word in the legal profession and one which has decided the fate of many an individual.

But it can be a lazy and inert word too. People can hide behind it and use it to justify doing nothing, to justify inaction, though it should not be a word to be scared of. To take the word in the positive, ‘precedent setters’ are pioneers - innovative people.

The word has been bandied about this week in the context of the France-Ireland World Cup qualifying play-off.

So what are the facts here? Ireland is a small nation of around 4 million people, the majority of them ardent sports fans who love to party. This week the national soccer team travelled to Paris with an arduous task – to overturn a 1-0 deficit and qualify for the World Cup Finals 2010 in South Africa. And in truth we travelled more in hope than anticipation. What transpired was a display of skill, courage, commitment and belief. A nation hung on every kick and dared to dream of another summer of high excitement when young and old would row in behind the lads, when worries and cares would be forgotten and the mood and confidence of the people would rise appreciably. It was not to be.

One of the most famous players to grace the game broke the rules. As he admitted himself – he cheated. The Irish players saw it and millions of television viewers across the world saw it. There is no grey area here. The French drew the game and qualified for the Finals with an illegal act. There is a gross injustice here – there is no question or doubt about that – in any corner. The Irish are angry, the French are embarrassed, the football world is disillusioned and FIFA are silent.

Yes the World Cup will go ahead next year. Thirty two nations will arrive in South Africa next summer to participate in one of the world’s greatest sporting extravaganzas. As things stand now, at least one will not arrive on merit. As the French squad step off their plane they will surely do so in the knowledge they do not really deserve to be there. If there is any conscience among them they will feel at least slightly out of place. They will know, or should know, that four million people on the western seaboard of Europe are looking on – disappointed and feeling let down – by the football authorities and by the French themselves.

And all we hear is precedent. A replay? No precedent. We have seen huge injustices over the years in sport – especially soccer. Nothing is ever done to right a wrong - usually because there are ‘no precedents’. So that makes it right? Well here’s a thought – how about ‘creating a precedent’? We should acknowledge the injustices of the past and there have been quite a few. That is not a reason to keep getting it wrong – to pile injustice upon injustice and further corrode the moral integrity of the game.

How can an organisation that preaches – ad nauseum – about fair play and doing the right thing suddenly become so silent when faced with a clear-cut injustice. When they have the means to resolve the injustice – to right the wrong. Can anybody take them seriously when they advocate fair play and then turn a blind eye to grossly unfair play - anybody?

Why not resolve to put injustices right from now on by taking the right decision on the merits of the individual case. By granting natural justice, by being fair, by upholding the integrity of the game and showing the millions of players and fans around the world that cheaters will not win – and by being fair to all nations – big and small.

And what about you - the French Football Federation - do you sleep at night? Have you the courage to approach FIFA and suggest you will accede to any decision.

The ball is in your court Mr. Blatter. You have a chance to change the game for the better forever – to be innovative, fair and to set a precedent. Morality and justice is on your side. It’s a no-brainer really. Do you have the integrity?