FIFPro asks FIFA to review the case of Glen Moss, as the New Zealand goalkeeper is to be suspended for the first two World Cup group matches, mostly due to mistakes from the New Zealand football federation, NZF.
‘Put simply, if Glen Moss (with the support of the NZPFA) had the chance to make submissions to the Disciplinary Committee at the outset – emphasizing the relatively larger impact on both Moss and our country of this suspension – then it might be that Moss would not be in the situation he faces’, is the opinion of Andrew Scott-Howman, lawyer of the New Zealand Professional Footballers Association, NZPFA.
Brendan Schwab, chairman of FIFPro Division Asia/Oceania, deeply regrets the suspension of Moss. He calls on FIFA to give the keeper one more legal chance. ‘Glen’s case highlights how a player’s fundamental legal right to a hearing can be lost due to the administrative failure of the national association. We would encourage FIFA to review this. It seems that a more appropriate approach would be for the player to have a fair hearing, and for FIFA to take disciplinary action against the national association for its failure to observe the time limit.’
If FIFA refuses to review this case, then there still might be another possibility for Moss to play all three group matches at the World Cup. In other World Cup finals (as well as most other international tournaments) yellow cards received in the group-stages are cancelled, unless a player is already suspended.
Furthermore, one of the main goals of FIFA is to have the highest quality of matches and the best teams and players available. FIFA also aims to strengthen the position of the smaller countries. But, smaller countries do not have the same potential of players as the bigger countries. This means that they are more vulnerable when hit by suspensions of their players.
For these reason FIFA might consider to postpone or cancel current suspensions for the World Cup. If FIFA were to decide to postpone of cancel these suspensions, then it would also support one of its main goals: to have the best players of the countries competing as well as to strengthen the position of the smaller countries.
In the case of Glen Moss, the player is still punished for an incident that took place almost two years ago. Besides, since it’s the first time New Zealand is competing at the World Cup since the event in Spain 1982, playing at the World Cup might as well be a once in a lifetime experience for Moss.
