1.0Mathematical 7https://mathematical7.com/m7rich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="UtGrdbe4it"><a href="https://mathematical7.com/m7/fifa-football-and-civil-courts/">FIFA, Football and Civil Courts! </a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://mathematical7.com/m7/fifa-football-and-civil-courts/embed/#?secret=UtGrdbe4it" width="600" height="338" title="“FIFA, Football and Civil Courts! ” — Mathematical 7" data-secret="UtGrdbe4it" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script type="text/javascript"> /* <![CDATA[ */ /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(d,l){"use strict";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),c=new RegExp("^https?:$","i"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display="none";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute("style"),"height"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):"link"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute("src")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener("message",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute("data-secret"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+="#?secret="+t,e.setAttribute("data-secret",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:"ready",secret:t},"*")},!1)))}(window,document); //# sourceURL=https://mathematical7.com/m7/wp-includes/js/wp-embed.min.js /* ]]> */ </script> https://mathematical7.com/m7/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/FiFa.jpg225165Am I the only one thinking this way?There is something not quite clear about the issue of whether some football matters can be taken to a civil court or not.Nigeria has been threatened several times with a ban because certain stakeholders had taken internal matters within their federation to a civil court.  The usual ‘refrain’ by a school of thought has always been that football matters should never be taken to court or else a country’s FA will be banned or sanctioned.  Yet, here we are, a third division club in Belgium has taken FIFA to a Belgian civil court, over the rule imposed by FIFA of a ban on third-party ownership of players.  Plus the decision of a Belgian Appeal court challenging the blanket power of the Court of Sports Arbitration (CAS) (as result of the same matter) to have exclusive jurisdiction over all football matters. The appeal court says such exclusivity is illegitimate.I am waiting anxiously for FIFA’s reaction.Will FIFA ban the Belgium club, or the Belgian Football Federation that ‘allowed’ the matter to be taken to a civil court. Or will FIFA abide by the judgement of the European civil court? Bosman’s celebrated case several years ago comes to mind – a European court’s decision on international transfer of players in Europe became binding on FIFA and has impacted the issue of player transfers all over the world since then.  If FIFA does nothing, it will be a confirmation that the body is biased against Nigeria, and selective in the application of its own rule that says that NO football matters shall be taken to a civil court for settlement and that the decision of CAS is final on all such matters.George Weah’s testimonial match – Nigeria must do same!Last weekend the Super Eagles of Nigeria played an international friendly match against the Lone Stars of Liberia in Monrovia.  For the first time in several years George Opong Weah, former captain of the Liberian national team, former African, European and World Player of the year, dusted his boots, wore the colours of his national team and returned to the football field.  The surprise is that he is now 54 years of age, has been retired for almost two decades and is now the President of his country, the Federal Republic of Liberia.