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FIFA warned over possible match-fixing in Qatar matches after unusually high number of penalties awarded in friendlies

decapitated

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decapitated

decapitated

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https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-11445381/World-Cup-FIFA-warned-unusually-HIGH-number-penalties-awarded-Qatar-warm-games.html

 

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Qatar's results in the build-up to the World Cup have been called into question on the eve of their tournament opener against Ecuador, after FIFA received an integrity alert.

Sportsmail has learned that one of FIFA's integrity partners has contacted the world governing body in the last few days highlighting 'an unusually high number of penalties' awarded to Qatar in their pre-World Cup friendlies, many of which were staged behind closed doors and not televised or streamed.

The integrity alert is understood to have warned FIFA of suggestions that a high number of spot-kicks were awarded to ensure that Qatar achieved positive results in the tournament build-up, although it adds that this claim cannot be verified.

The red flag also notes that Qatar have had an unusual number of friendlies in comparison with other competing nations over recent months, with the hosts playing seven games since July compared to England's two. 

Qatar played five of those games behind closed doors over the summer, with even sponsors and dignitaries kept away from their training ground and little information relayed to the public. 

Qatar were unbeaten in their first four games before losing 3-0 to Croatia Under 23s.

FIFA's integrity warning also notes that even their match monitoring partners have struggled to unearth data on the games in question.

Qatar are the bottom-ranked team in Group A, which also features Holland and Senegal, but are under pressure from the government and ruling family to qualify for the knockout stages in their first major tournament.

After failing to qualify for 2018, Qatar enjoyed success under coach Felix Sanchez, winning the 2019 Asian Cup and reaching the CONCACAF Gold Cup semi-finals last year. There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by Sanchez.

Secrecy and isolation have been a feature of their World Cup preparations, with a four-month training camp in summer followed by another behind-closed-doors trip to Spain last month.

FIFA declined to comment. Qatar's World Cup organisers could not be reached.

 

So it seems like there might be something to the Qatar match fixing rumours after all, though I hope that is not the case.

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The_jagster

The_jagster

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The thread titles put me in mind of an old HIGNFY trope

Rob went with "Under the PENALTY SPOT-light: refs giving too many pens to Qatar?"

PH71 went with "Qatar results integrity: GONE?!"

decapitated went with "FIFA warned over possible match-fixing in Qatar matches after unusually high number of penalties awarded in friendlies"

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decapitated

decapitated

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10 minutes ago, Wolf_pd said:

Remember the Kuwait game at the World Cup? The Qatari will want more and will act on it. Not reaching the next round would mean FIFA made a mistake.

I don't know this story. What is it?

 

7 minutes ago, skybluedave said:

How did Qatar win the Asia Cup the other year? Was that dodgy at all?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_AFC_Asian_Cup#Controversies

Two of their star players were accused of not actually being Qatari but the AFC dismissed the complaint. Ironically a Qatar fan ended up beaten by the police allegedly for supporting that team.

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GunmaN1905

GunmaN1905

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42 minutes ago, Weezer said:

The refereeing for South Korea/Japan was pretty suspicious.

morenojpg.jpeg

Some years later got caught with 6kg of heroin at the airport. :lol:

But worry not, Slavko Vinčić will do an even better job this year!

https://en.as.com/en/2020/05/29/soccer/1590749138_154883.html

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Champions League referee Slavko Vincic has been arrested by police in Bosnia and Herzegovina for his alleged involvement in a drugs and prostitution ring. Vincic, who took charge of the match between Genk and Liverpool in this season’s elite European competition as well as two more Champions League games and one in the Europa League, was detained in a cabin in Bijeljina where the authorities discovered nine women, 26 men and a cache of weapons and cocaine.

Since then, his rise among European referees was nothing short of stellar, taking charge of many CL games and EURO matches.
How surprising for someone who shares nationality with the president of UEFA.

Edited by GunmaN1905
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Rob1981

Rob1981

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16 minutes ago, decapitated said:

I don't know this story. What is it?

Kuwait in 82. Famously left the pitch in protest after France scored against them and their sheikh or emir or whoever was calling them off and telling them not to play. The ref ended up disallowing the goal in the chaos because it was obvious that they weren’t going to carry on otherwise. Pretty sure France we already well ahead though and ended up winning 4-1 or something. All very odd.

Not sure how Qatar could get away with that kind of thing in the VAR era mind you.

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craigcwwe

craigcwwe

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19 minutes ago, GunmaN1905 said:

But worry not, Slavko Vinčić will do an even better job this year!

https://en.as.com/en/2020/05/29/soccer/1590749138_154883.html

Since then, his rise among European referees was nothing short of stellar, taking charge of many CL games and EURO matches.
How surprising for someone who shares nationality with the president of UEFA.

oh fgs, not that guy. Blatant BS'ery going on there. 

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Weezer

Weezer

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14 minutes ago, Rob1981 said:

and their sheikh or emir or whoever was calling them off and telling them not to play

This is what happens when you're rich and powerful and never have to deal with the word "no". It's how Qatar have acted ever since they bought the tournament.

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decapitated

decapitated

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25 minutes ago, Rob1981 said:

Kuwait in 82. Famously left the pitch in protest after France scored against them and their sheikh or emir or whoever was calling them off and telling them not to play. The ref ended up disallowing the goal in the chaos because it was obvious that they weren’t going to carry on otherwise. Pretty sure France we already well ahead though and ended up winning 4-1 or something. All very odd.

Not sure how Qatar could get away with that kind of thing in the VAR era mind you.

https://www.firstpost.com/sports/fifa-world-cup-moments-kuwaits-prince-fahad-gets-frances-goal-chalked-off-in-the-1982-controversial-clash-4477265.html

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Kuwait's tryst with the FIFA World Cup was brief. It was short enough to be lost in the history books, but a moment during their short stint keeps their footballing exploits at the highest level in memory. A debut World Cup appearance is often a feat to be cherished for ages to come, but in Kuwait's case, who made the headlines for all the wrong reasons at Spain 1982, it was anything but.

It was 21 June 1982. The moment of truth for Kuwaiti football — in form of a game against heavyweights France — was staring at them. After a creditable 1-1 draw against Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic and Slovakia) in their opening game, the Kuwaitis had shown the appetite for a greater scalp. Sheikh Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the prince of Kuwait and also the President of the nation's football association was in the audience in anticipation of history. Unfortunately, that was not what was in store for him.

After showing good resistance for the opening half hour, France found a way to the Kuwaiti net through Bernard Genghini. The goal gave France the impetus to create further inroads in the Kuwaiti rearguard, and Michel Platini doubled Le Blues's advantage in the 43rd minute to leave the Asians deflated at the break. After the restart, matters only took a turn for the worse. France took off from where they had left off in the first half and made it 3-0 in the 48th minute.

Kuwait's dream of claiming a famous upset was in doldrums until Abdullah Al-Buloushi pulled a goal back in the 75th minute to restore some hope. However, few minutes later, the renewed hopes appeared to have gone up in smoke when French midfielder Alain Giresse knocked in the fourth goal for his side. The goal was met with protests from the Kuwait players who had frozen in the build-up to the goal in reaction to a whistle from the crowd, which they suspected came from Soviet referee Miroslav Stupar.

Disgruntled by the perceived injustice against his team, Prince Fahad rushed onto the pitch to remonstrate with the referee. After stopping play and threatening a pull-out, Stupar shockingly succumbed to Fahad's agitation and countermanded his initial decision. He disallowed the goal to the fury of the French and the match resumed.

For all the Kuwaiti protests, the superior French side needed just few more minutes to add the fourth goal as Maxime Bossis netted in the 89th minute. There was no room for any disagreement then as Kuwait players had to leave the field red-faced. The Asian side bowed out of the competition after a 1-0 loss to England in their final game to never return to the World Cup finals again.

Referee Stupar was banned from officiating thereafter, while Kuwait are still haunted by the ghost of their disgraceful act that till date cast a dark shadow over their footballing achievements.

This is the first time I've heard about this. :eek: I would imagine they will be more subtle than that if there is match fixing, but I can imagine anything obviously dodgy in group A going viral in the age of the internet and social media. I mean imagine what Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp would have made of Bryon Moreno's referring performance in 2002 if they were around then? Any tomfoolery will damage FIFA and Qatar more than what ever happened in 2002 and 1982 due to the technological changes since then.

Edited by decapitated
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GunmaN1905

GunmaN1905

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19 minutes ago, craigcwwe said:

oh fgs, not that guy. Blatant BS'ery going on there. 

Guess who was in charge of Inter-Barcelona and didn't give that obvious penalty. :ackter:

Here are Italy-Korea highlights with English subtitles, this was blatant robbery, not even that he was incompetent, but literally paid off.

Still, Italy only have themselves to blame, mainly Vieri who bottled it.

For me personally, most famous refereeing name after Collina.

 

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PaulHartman71

PaulHartman71

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Yeah that Italy/Korea game is insane. Probably the only game worse than that Chelsea/Barcelona one.

The thing with South Korea/Japan I’m assuming money or influence may have been involved but with Qatar is there not more of a fear factor for the officials of what could happen to them even if they’re not being bribed but on a questionable 50/50 decision with VAR for example. 

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Wolf_pd

Wolf_pd

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8 minutes ago, Weezer said:

Which one was that?

The Anders Frisk game I think. Didn't he retire almost rightaway afterwards because of death threats against his family?

Drogba send off and according to some Rijkaard, the Barcelona coach talked to Frisk in the halftime break.

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Rob1981

Rob1981

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23 minutes ago, PaulHartman71 said:

Yeah that Italy/Korea game is insane.

Wasn’t just against Italy. They beat Spain in the QF and Spain had a clear goal disallowed as well. Linesman or ref claimed the ball had gone out before it was crossed back in but it was nowhere near.

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Weezer

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15 minutes ago, Rob1981 said:

Wasn’t just against Italy. They beat Spain in the QF and Spain had a clear goal disallowed as well. Linesman or ref claimed the ball had gone out before it was crossed back in but it was nowhere near.

Yeah the whole tournament was dodgy.

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GunmaN1905

GunmaN1905

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32 minutes ago, Weezer said:

Yeah the whole tournament was dodgy.

Italy also had two clear goals disallowed against Croatia. Didn't matter because it was just the group, but I suspect some big money was made off that tournament. :D

Also:

EbChcgaWsAALMEF.jpg

:D

Would be unpredecented if Croatia won, the match whould've been replayed or something.

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Weezer

Weezer

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Just now, Heartwork said:

Dunno if it was because back then South Korea was still very recently out of a dictatorship (as in, past decade or so) and so still had a lot of corruption going on behind the scenes?

Asian betting syndicates was a big tabloid boogeyman back then so could be something in that?

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Heartwork

Heartwork

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8 minutes ago, Weezer said:

Asian betting syndicates was a big tabloid boogeyman back then so could be something in that?

Still a fairly big corruption problem in Korea tbh, the K-Pop industry has so much power and influence nowadays that its actively subsidised by the government.

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Weezer

Weezer

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10 minutes ago, GunmaN1905 said:

My favorite thing of the bunch is Vincent Tan buying Sarajevo and suddenly dodgy results start happening in the league, as if it wasn't corrupted enough. :lol:

Eastern European leagues + dodgy businessmen, name a better combo :D 

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Deltaroad

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7 hours ago, Analog said:

Honestly, I am really trying but I'm struggling to take this WC very seriously, maybe I will get into it... but, as bad as it is this might actually be befitting to have this tournament be as plain as day to see corrupt from the inside out, officials and all.  Even better if they end up losing money on it, but yin/yang that also means the people lost their lives building those stadiums only for incompetent "powerful" people to throw away money and the purpose of the tournament itself like the fools they are.

With all the shenanigans thats been said. I have no hype for it, think it will grow once the games starts. It's not helped with it being played in the middle of a season, the times it's being shown and all the controversy that's come with it. Not even sure fans can even get to the games with all this stuff about limited hotels in the area. Not to mention the cost of living, I would imagine most people won't bother travelling. 

 

 

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Wolf_pd

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19 hours ago, Analog said:

Honestly, I am really trying but I'm struggling to take this WC very seriously, maybe I will get into it... but, as bad as it is this might actually be befitting to have this tournament be as plain as day to see corrupt from the inside out, officials and all.  Even better if they end up losing money on it, but yin/yang that also means the people lost their lives building those stadiums only for incompetent "powerful" people to throw away money and the purpose of the tournament itself like the fools they are.

FIFa will care about they money, Qatar won't care about the money. They want their name in the history to point to it and say, see what a sporting nation we are?

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