{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"Mathematical 7","provider_url":"https:\/\/mathematical7.com\/m7","title":"FIFA, Football and Civil Courts!\u00a0 - Mathematical 7","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"y9xfvLMp9j\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mathematical7.com\/m7\/fifa-football-and-civil-courts\/\">FIFA, Football and Civil Courts!\u00a0<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/mathematical7.com\/m7\/fifa-football-and-civil-courts\/embed\/#?secret=y9xfvLMp9j\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;FIFA, Football and Civil Courts!\u00a0&#8221; &#8212; Mathematical 7\" data-secret=\"y9xfvLMp9j\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/* <![CDATA[ *\/\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!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);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/mathematical7.com\/m7\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n\/* ]]> *\/\n<\/script>\n","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/mathematical7.com\/m7\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/FiFa.jpg","thumbnail_width":225,"thumbnail_height":165,"description":"Am 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.\u00a0 The usual \u2018refrain\u2019 by a school of thought has always been that football matters should\u00a0never\u00a0be taken to court or else a country\u2019s FA will be banned or sanctioned.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 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\u2019s reaction.Will FIFA ban the Belgium club, or the Belgian Football Federation that \u2018allowed\u2019 the matter to be taken to a civil court. Or will FIFA abide by the judgement of the European civil court?\u00a0Bosman\u2019s celebrated case several years ago comes to mind \u2013 a European court\u2019s 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.\u00a0 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\u00a0NO\u00a0football matters shall be taken to a civil court for settlement and that the decision of CAS is final on all such matters.George Weah\u2019s testimonial match \u2013 Nigeria must do same!Last weekend the\u00a0Super Eagles of Nigeria played an international friendly match against the\u00a0Lone Stars of Liberia in Monrovia.\u00a0\u00a0For 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.\u00a0 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\u00a0Federal Republic of Liberia.\u00a0\u00a0"}