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When’s a punishment not a punishment?
Published by Ian John on November 6, 2009
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Well, in the least surprising turn of events since Sir Alex Ferguson criticising a referee or Liverpool losing a game because Gerrard and Torres are not fit, Chelsea’s two transfer window transfer ban has been temporarily handed a stay until the Blues full appeal against UEFA’s decision is heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, probably some time in late January to early February 2010.
The upshot of this is simply that while Chelsea are still under the threat of a two year ban, it has been temporarily suspended until the Court of Arbitration for Sport can give their verdict on the initial UEFA penalty following hearing Chelsea’s appeal. The upshot being that Chelsea can now buy players in January and Gael Kakuta is now free to play football for Chelsea once again.
What an utterly facile turn of events. This is no punishment whatsoever for Chelsea. It may well be, legally, the correct thing to do, after all Chelsea are contesting the original guilty verdict, but it is an utter sham.
I’m sure it is not just me that thinks that Chelsea have made this appeal, not to clear their and Gael Kakuta’s name (the evidence against them submitted by UEFA was pretty damning in my view), but simply to enable themselves to spend two years money in the January transfer window on some much needed reinforcements. This of course renders any subsequent findings by the Court of Arbitration for Sport utterly futile as even if they do rule Chelsea as being guilty, Chelsea will have signed the players they would have wanted anyway. It is a punishment by name only and a shameful climbdown by the CAS.
Of course, clubs like Valencia, Atletico Madrid and a few others across Europe will now be rubbing their hands with glee. With several key players off to the African Cup of Nations in the new year, an ageing squad and the knowledge that Chelsea will likely only have this chance, and this chance alone, to sign players. What sort of prices are Atletico going to quote for Aguero or Valencia for David Villa now? They know Abramovic has the money and they know Chelsea will have to buy. The prices are just going to be astronomical.
All this at a time when Michel Platini is decrying the rising costs of transferring players (apart from Real Madrid buying Cristiano Ronaldo on borrowed money, that is apparently allowed as they are Spanish and not English or Italian), what kind of mockery does this make of that? Or the punishment meted out to Chelsea? How does this help other clubs to a “fair and level” playing field when come January, any player that they are interested in with Chelsea, they are going to have to pay a ridiculous amount in order to sign?
This mindless bureaucracy at the highest level is the turd in the water barrel of football. Incompetence on this level is only usually achieved by government. That UEFA continually matches political ineptitude with its own soccer variety does it no credit whatsoever.
Like it or not, Chelsea have got away with it. The punishment has no deterrent value. It is a symbolic gesture and offers no real punitive value, a spineless act by an organisation that walks the walk of the many, but answers only to the value of the £ or Euro.
Image Courtesy of *** Stewie D*** on Flickr.com
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Nabyl Charania on Fri, 6th Nov 2009 7:15 pm
Special rules for Special Clubs
Diego Zidane on Fri, 6th Nov 2009 7:18 pm
Chelsea got away with it!
Sundays Battle at Stamford Bridge : Chelsea v Manchester United | deciphersoccer.com on Sat, 7th Nov 2009 12:32 pm
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