Ailton fumes at FIFA

[Ziyad]

(From the BBC u probably heard of this one)
Ailton fumes at Fifa
Friday, 19 March 2004


by Patricio Figueroa
Brazilian striker Ailton has slammed Fifa for introducing new rules which would stop him playing international football for Qatar.
The Werder Bremen man has already agreed to play for Qatar, but Fifa were worried about the number of players looking to play for the Gulf state.

The fact that Qatar is willing to pay their players handsomely to represent them did not sit right with Fifa who have quickly changed the criteria for playing international football.

"I am really angry," blasted Ailton. "I am so angry that I could leave Germany. I don't understand why Fifa has taken this decision, which is the problem?

"I have been told that some people from Germany have asked Fifa to take this decision but I don't understand why these people have done this.

"I only had the wish to play for a national team for once in my life because I will never be called to the Brazilian national team.

"Personally it wasn't only a financial choice, it was a very good experience that I was going to live."

 

[Ziyad]

Thank God FIFA stepped up in this one because exploitation will make many NT loose their identity...Qatar should really try to develop their players more with the money they were going to give Ailton instead...

I know many countries do this but their usually is some kind of relationship between the country and that player unlike the case here....I dont think Ailton ever visited Qatar or heard about it before this year.

 

[Ziyad]

This is a clarification on more of that previous article
Wednesday, March 17, 2004

FIFA acts on 'mercenary' internationals


LONDON, March 17 (Reuters) - FIFA has introduced emergency measures to stop soccer players taking advantage of the governing body's regulations to switch nationalities.

Sepp Blatter: Emergency measures (StuartFranklin/GettyImages)

Following a decision by FIFA's Emergency Committee, any player who assumes a new nationality without having a clear connection to that country will not be eligible to play for the national team.


FIFA said on Wednesday players would now have to show strong links with their adopted country through their parents or grandparents, or show they have lived there for two years, to be able to play for the national team.

Qatar said last week it would naturalise three Brazilians to bolster their team ahead of qualifiers for the 2006 World Cup but following FIFA's announcement the Qatar Football Association (QFA) put the moves on hold.

The QFA was set to offer Qatari citizenship to Werder Bremen striker Ailton and brothers Dede and Leandro of Borussia Dortmund. The trio have no previous link with Qatar.

'Naturalisation that allows players with no obvious connection to the new country to play for that country's national teams is not the aim and object of the statutes,' FIFA president Sepp Blatter said in a statement.

'For that reason, we have to put an immediate stop to such practices. I will also bring this matter up at the ordinary FIFA congress in Paris on 20-21 May 2004 with the aim of amending our statutes accordingly.'

The relevant FIFA statute opens the door for players who have not played for their original country to assume another nationality and play for that country's team.

 

[Handoyo]

Well IMO a 'transfer' from one NT to another shouldn't be completely ruled out. Ailton has a point when he mentioned that he wanna play in the WC and even though he's playing superbly this season, it'll be ectremely hard for him to take the forward spot when you face competition from players like Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Kaka and our own Adriano. There should be a line drawn somewhere.


Handyo

 

[SB9Dragon]

I think what FIFA did was the right thing, like it or not. Buying Internationals isn't right since the NT aren't club teams

 

[Hammoudi]

I agree with FIFA and i was happy they jumped in because this could've opened the flood gate for similar situations. I know the Qatari situation very much and they always try to naturalize players that play well so they'd represent them. I have no problem if the person was born there or lived there or has roots from there. But to bring a total outsider and pay him to represent you then that's outrageous. If Ailton wants to play for an NT then he should excel more and compete. Too bad he is 31 and won't have much chances but he has to look to players that were always overlooked like Elber, Jardel etc. and admit that being brazilian is hard for a soccer player.

 

[Handoyo]

But I pity the players like him and Elber who didn't get the chance to represent the Brazillian NT. I still agree to players jumping ship from one country to another but to prevent the flood gates from opening, VERY strict rules should be applied. For example, the players must have played 200 top-league games, aged 29 or above and have never wear their NT jersey.


Handyo

 

[Riku]

Who wants to watch a WC where half of the teams are full of second class Brazilians? Finally a good decision by FIFA. If Elber or Ailton aren`t good enough for their NT then it`s their problem. A player should only be allowed to represent another NT if he has lived there for most part of his life or has his roots in that country.

 

[Ziyad]

I agree with Riku this will make many players like a bunch of mercenaries going for the highest bidders...and all of a sudden it will be the WC of who can pay more for the players.This is even good news for Qatari players who now they will have to develop,and i am sure if the same amount of money is spent on them they will get a good team to compete in Asia for now and who knows in a couple of generations..

 

[Gismo]

Does Ailton even have any link to Qatar? This is absurd... If Ailton has such a strong desire to play for a national team he should fight for his place in Brazil´s NT and hope for the best. Did it ever cross his mind that he would never "feel" anything when playing for Qatar??? Sport isn´t about money, money has just become part of the sport.

I just lost all my respect for this guy. Now I am thrilled he will go to
Schalke next season.

Werder Bremen doesn´t deserve to have a morron like him in their team.

 

[Hammoudi]

I just lost all my respect for this guy. Now I am thrilled he will go to
Schalke next season.

Werder Bremen doesn´t deserve to have a morron like him in their team.

I lost my respect for ailton when he announced in the middle of the season that he'll sign with Schlake in the off-season. Schalke is one of Bremen rivals and i can't believe this guy announced in the midst of his team's first title run since 93.

 

[Riku]

You know why he`s leaving Werder Bremen? Because they didn`t offer him enough money. :yuck:

 

[Gismo]

I just lost all my respect for this guy. Now I am thrilled he will go to
Schalke next season.

Werder Bremen doesn´t deserve to have a morron like him in their team.

I lost my respect for ailton when he announced in the middle of the season that he'll sign with Schlake in the off-season. Schalke is one of Bremen rivals and i can't believe this guy announced in the midst of his team's first title run since 93.

Well the thing is that there is a Dane in Schalke 04 called Ebbe Sand so I don´t dislike that team...

 

[SB9Dragon]

Sorta dumb to leave the Champions to go to a team that might not make it to the UEFA Cup....

 

[Gismo]

Well this morron is all about the money it seems... A disgrace to soccer and sport in general!

 

[MoH]

Qatar just gone bonkers as far as I am concerned, they should fine their football government body. They were gonna make Dede Qatari!!!