Chelsea Fiasco: UEFA Need To Be More Transparent

(Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

Transparency is a word that is being used with increasing frequency lately—from the politicians of Great Britain to the organisers and teams of the Formula One World Championship.

Every institution, no matter what its role in the world, needs to be transparent in everything it does. Because whether it be a government, regulatory body, or a company offering a product, it is responsible to only one person, the consumer.

UEFA is probably the best current example of a football organisation not honouring this commitment.

Chelsea have decided to appeal against the lengthy bans served upon striker Didier Drogba and defender Jose Bosingwa, as well as a fine imposed on the club, following the fallout from last season’s Champions League Semifinal defeat to Barcelona, in which the referee, Tom Henning Ovrebo, failed to give several blatant Chelsea penalties.

Well done to Chelsea for coming to this decision. It is only hoped that they may be successful in correcting such an injustice—although it doesn’t seem likely that the bans will be rescinded or that the fine will be dropped.

While the behaviour of Drogba and Bosingwa and many of the other Chelsea players toward the referee at the full time whistle must not be condoned, it is also very understandable.

Referees are given far too much protection by football’s governing bodies—how else could the players or team management make their views clear?

They can’t chastise the match officials in the media because that would be considered to bring the game into disrepute.

The only other option is to write a letter of complaint to UEFA, but what would be the chance that it would be read, let alone responded too.

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