FIFA once again impose a hollow punishment, this time Spain and Netherlands are the culprits

For a governing body that is meant to stand on high above all and dictate the rules and hand out punishments when necessary, FIFA appear to be a timid cat of a an authority, scared of the repercussions of their actions.

Their decision to fine Spain and Netherlands for their player’s poor discipline in the World Cup final is admirable, but the fine of £15,133 between the nations is meaningless compared to the millions the nation’s football associations earned from their successes at the tournament.

Such is the meaninglessness of the fine, a greater penalty would have been to tell each of the player’s mothers that their son had been a very naughty and allow her to serve a more serious punishment.

Whilst the act of punishing the countries for something which FIFA see as tarnishing the image of the game is admirable, imposing such a minuscule fine belittles the supposed crime.

Will both the Spanish and Dutch instruct their players to play in a style more befitting of a game of football and not a wrestling match as a result? Highly doubtful.

This isn’t the first time though that FIFA has handed out a meaningless fine, as they have a long history of hollow punishments.

In 2004 the Spanish Football Federation was fined just 100,000 Swiss francs ($87,340) by FIFA for the racist chanting of its fans during a friendly against England in Madrid.

No other punishment was handed out and the meek punishment only served to make a mockery of FIFA’s ‘say no to racism campaign’ which they appear to have only a political interest in.

Perhaps worse still are UEFA, who chose to fine spend-happy Real Madrid an insulting euro9,780 ($13,023) for racist behaviour by its supporters at a Champions League game against Bayer Leverkusen in November 2004.

If either governing body wish their authority to be carried and their well intentioned schemes to bear fruit then they will have to start imposing punishments that make an impact with their target and force change, otherwise they may as well not bother.

Posted By Dan Mobbs - Tuesday August 3, 2010.
Tags: Spain, Netherlands