Swiss cry foul over Fifa penalty

Keystone

The six-game ban handed to Swiss footballer Benjamin Huggel following violence at a World Cup play-off in Istanbul has been roundly condemned in Switzerland.

Many experts believe the punishment meted out to the Swiss international is excessive and that Turkey got off lightly.

On Tuesday world football’s governing body, Fifa, handed down tough penalties for the mass brawl between players and officials at the end of the match last November.

Turkey won the game 4-2 but Switzerland went through to this summer’s World Cup finals in Germany on the away goals rule.

After two days of deliberations in Zurich, Fifa’s disciplinary committee ordered Turkey to play its next six competitive home matches behind closed doors and on neutral ground. The Turkish Football Federation was also fined SFr200,000 ($154,000).

Fifa banned two Turkish players, Alpay Özalan and Emre Belozoglu, for six matches. A similar punishment was handed down to Huggel who admitted kicking Turkish assistant coach Mehmet Özdilek.

Unjustified

Fredy Hunkeler, veteran sports editor at Swiss public radio, told swissinfo that the penalty imposed on Huggel could not be justified.

Hunkeler, who commentated on the game, said Fifa had failed to take account of the enormous provocation to which Huggel and the rest of the Swiss team were subjected.

He said the ban would effectively end the international career of the 28-year-old Eintracht Frankfurt player.

After the World Cup, the Swiss are not due to play a competitive match until the Euro 2008 football championships, which they are hosting jointly with Austria.

“It will probably be two years before he can play again,” said Hunkeler. “He was severely provoked and a three-match ban would have been correct.”

But retired Swiss referee Urs Meier told swissinfo that Fifa was right to send out a strong signal.

“I think Fifa had to take the same line with all the players. For Huggel it’s really hard because he misses the World Cup and that’s why it’s tougher for him than the others,” said the former Fifa official, speaking from Turkey where he is running a referees’ course.

Harsh punishment

The Swiss Football Association says it is disappointed with the severity of Huggel’s penalty but has yet to decide whether to appeal. The player is reported to be discussing the situation with his lawyer.

Michel Pont, assistant coach for the national team, told the Le Temps newspaper that while there was no excuse for the player’s actions, Fifa had got it wrong.

“The provocation we experienced over three days in Istanbul has not been taken into account,” he said.

The Swiss said they were subjected to hostile treatment when they arrived in Istanbul, including being held up for several hours in passport control. Fans taunted the players and reportedly threw eggs and rocks at the team bus as it left the airport.

Turkish players and coaches had complained of ill treatment after the first leg in Bern. The Turks said they were insulted by the Swiss press, players and coach, and that Swiss fans whistled during the playing of the Turkish national anthem.

Explosive build-up

Hunkeler, who believes Turkey should have been banned from Euro 2008 or the next World Cup, criticised Fifa for failing to heed clear warnings that the match was likely to explode.

He added that comments by Fifa boss Sepp Blatter, who is Swiss, in the aftermath of the match had been injudicious. Blatter appeared to point the finger at Turkey, complaining about an absence of fair play and promising to “act fast and harshly”.

Question marks over his impartiality came back to haunt him on Tuesday when Mehmet Sahin, Turkey’s sports minister, accused Fifa of taking a political rather than a sporting decision.

The Turkish Football Federation has said it will appeal against Fifa’s ruling.

swissinfo, Adam Beaumont with agencies

Key facts

Fifa was founded in 1904 and is based in Zurich.
Switzerland’s Sepp Blatter has been president since 1998.
He was re-elected to a second term in 2002.

In brief

Punishments handed down by Fifa:

Turkey have been told to play their next six official home matches behind closed doors in a neutral venue at least 500km from the Turkish border. The Turkish Football Federation was also fined SFr200,000.

Two Turkish players were suspended for six games and one player banned for two matches. The team’s assistant coach has been banned from football for 12 months.

Switzerland’s Benjamin Huggel was suspended for six games and Swiss physio Stephan Meyer banned for two games.