Day -655. WorldCup2018
Fifa President Gianni Infantino has been to the same school of memorable, yet incomprehensible, school of quotes as Eric Cantona. Cantona, the wonderfully talented, with a hint of self-confidence bordering on incorrigible arrogance, French footballer explained his pitch side attack on a supporter by throwing out a line about trawlers, seagulls and sardines. And then he promptly walked out of the press conference where he offered that classic line.
Infantino in an interview with the Swiss newspaper Blick, had this to say about men's football at the Olympics: "The tournament is neither fish nor bird in this form." Admittedly, the interview was in German and this might either be an interesting translation or a good (Swiss) German saying that needs explanation to English speakers. But just as Cantona delivered the line and turned on his heels, so did Infantino not really offer any further explanation.
The quote is, however, not the point. Infantino's comments show concern from Fifa that the governing body of world football is worried about the success and growing popularity of football at the Olympics. What he said is that the football calendar is already too packed and that the men's tournament in its current format "is not a good solution." What he really means is that there is fear that the IOC, a serious and direct competitor to Fifa's revenue, is stealing more of the football attention than Fifa is comfortable with.
It may not be universally known that the men's Olympic tournament is not on Fifa's Coordinated Match Calendar (or list of official tournaments) so clubs have no obligation to release their players to their respective national Olympic teams. Right there that seems to be a very strong argument for men's football as it is right now to be excluded from the Olympics. Its' own federation doesn't really want to be part of the Olympics. For the majority of the sports the Olympic are the pinnacle of an International Federation's sanctioned tournaments. Athletics, rowing, swimming, weightlifting all have world championships but it is the Olympics that the federations and the athletes want to be at. Being an Olympic sport also means funding from the IOC. Fifa clearly don't need this. While the Olympics have been hugely important for the women's game in terms of exposure, the men's game is dominated by the World Cup. While the question of amateurs at the Olympics is a rather cloudy argument nowadays, Fifa could take the opportunity to do what rugby did: present a different format of its' game. Rugby sevens was hugely popular and Fifa have futsal or 5-a-side football, which is fun to watch, not as widely watched as the full version and is played by players who do not have the same opportunity for exposure as those who play at World Cups.
The other solution is to pull football completely out of the Olympics. Fifa do not need to risk their big moneymaker, the World Cup, having a competitor. But the IOC needs football. It sells tickets, lots of them. And would the IOC get rid of football to make for for a sport that would really love to be part of the Olympics, let's say squash? Simply, no.
So while Infantino said that Fifa needs to work with the IOC to find a "solution" to this "sensitive issue" rest assured, or despair, that an Olympics without football will not be an option.
Fifa President Gianni Infantino has been to the same school of memorable, yet incomprehensible, school of quotes as Eric Cantona. Cantona, the wonderfully talented, with a hint of self-confidence bordering on incorrigible arrogance, French footballer explained his pitch side attack on a supporter by throwing out a line about trawlers, seagulls and sardines. And then he promptly walked out of the press conference where he offered that classic line.
Infantino in an interview with the Swiss newspaper Blick, had this to say about men's football at the Olympics: "The tournament is neither fish nor bird in this form." Admittedly, the interview was in German and this might either be an interesting translation or a good (Swiss) German saying that needs explanation to English speakers. But just as Cantona delivered the line and turned on his heels, so did Infantino not really offer any further explanation.
The quote is, however, not the point. Infantino's comments show concern from Fifa that the governing body of world football is worried about the success and growing popularity of football at the Olympics. What he said is that the football calendar is already too packed and that the men's tournament in its current format "is not a good solution." What he really means is that there is fear that the IOC, a serious and direct competitor to Fifa's revenue, is stealing more of the football attention than Fifa is comfortable with.
It may not be universally known that the men's Olympic tournament is not on Fifa's Coordinated Match Calendar (or list of official tournaments) so clubs have no obligation to release their players to their respective national Olympic teams. Right there that seems to be a very strong argument for men's football as it is right now to be excluded from the Olympics. Its' own federation doesn't really want to be part of the Olympics. For the majority of the sports the Olympic are the pinnacle of an International Federation's sanctioned tournaments. Athletics, rowing, swimming, weightlifting all have world championships but it is the Olympics that the federations and the athletes want to be at. Being an Olympic sport also means funding from the IOC. Fifa clearly don't need this. While the Olympics have been hugely important for the women's game in terms of exposure, the men's game is dominated by the World Cup. While the question of amateurs at the Olympics is a rather cloudy argument nowadays, Fifa could take the opportunity to do what rugby did: present a different format of its' game. Rugby sevens was hugely popular and Fifa have futsal or 5-a-side football, which is fun to watch, not as widely watched as the full version and is played by players who do not have the same opportunity for exposure as those who play at World Cups.
The other solution is to pull football completely out of the Olympics. Fifa do not need to risk their big moneymaker, the World Cup, having a competitor. But the IOC needs football. It sells tickets, lots of them. And would the IOC get rid of football to make for for a sport that would really love to be part of the Olympics, let's say squash? Simply, no.
So while Infantino said that Fifa needs to work with the IOC to find a "solution" to this "sensitive issue" rest assured, or despair, that an Olympics without football will not be an option.
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