| With a couple of harsh dismissals and one disallowed | | | | have a point, as many football fans can recall |
| goal from the USA/Slovenia match, referees have | | | | Maradona's "hand of God." |
| again managed to be the scapegoats. FIFA's referee | | | | UEFA experimented with two extra match officials |
| committee at the World Cup decided that the German | | | | during the Europa league. This might have ensured that |
| referee (Stark) for the Argentina/Nigeria game should | | | | Henry's match-winning handled-ball during the playoff |
| have disallowed the goal. While a referee must own | | | | against the Republic of Ireland. FIFA does not seem |
| his mistakes, there is the cogent argument that FIFA | | | | likely to yield to calls from former players, fans and |
| should take some of the "credit" for the referee | | | | analysts for video replays and additional help for |
| performances at the World Cup. | | | | match officials in the near future. |
| Referee selection | | | | Advice to referees and secrecy |
| FIFA decided that they would give referees from all | | | | Football match officials are not required to explain their |
| confederations a chance to do World Cup matches. | | | | match decisions openly. In many instances, officials are |
| The quality of refereeing across the world is not even | | | | discouraged from doing this publicly, since it would |
| by any means. Better officials tend to come out of | | | | appear to undermine their competence and authority. |
| Europe and South America. This is no surprise since | | | | FIFA does this behind closed doors and the |
| Europe and South America have the best leagues. | | | | performance of referees is routinely assessed. |
| Therefore, the top referees from these leagues | | | | However, the FIFA referees committee might |
| officiate in top-flight matches with crowded stadia and | | | | negatively influence officiating at the World Cup. They |
| television scrutiny. | | | | criticized W. Stark of Germany for allowing Argentina's |
| Officials from Mali and New Zealand are less likely to | | | | goal against Nigeria at the 2010 World Cup because |
| have these opportunities. Any referee could make a | | | | an Argentine player impeded a Nigerian defender. |
| mistake, but what one does not want is a referee | | | | In the match against the USA, Malian referee Koman |
| making errors because he is unaccustomed to a | | | | Coulibaly disallowed a US goal because he likely felt |
| certain level of football and the level of skill among the | | | | that the US players were obstructing the Slovenian |
| world's best players. Referee selection also applies to | | | | defenders. Replays did not support this view. If |
| the referees selected within confederations. Even the | | | | anything, it seemed as though the Slovenians were the |
| best confederations have some questionable FIFA | | | | protagonists in the penalty-area tussle. Perhaps the |
| officials. However, the World Cup requires the best | | | | advice to referees to look out for such infraction |
| referees with experience. Perhaps FIFA could increase | | | | made Coulibaly prejudiced in that particular situation, to |
| the age for FIFA referees by a year or two to ensure | | | | the point where he disregarded the infraction by the |
| that they have a wider pool of experienced referees | | | | Slovenians. |
| from which to choose. | | | | FIFA needs to do more about officiating at the highest |
| No additional help for match officials | | | | level. Football will always have some controversy and |
| Even the most anachronistic of sports (cricket) | | | | video replays are not necessarily a universal panacea. |
| currently uses technology to improve the standard of | | | | However, FIFA's secret handling of referee errors, |
| officiating. FIFA adamantly rejected the use of goal-line | | | | without admitting when officials make mistakes is not |
| technology and repeatedly refused to entertain the | | | | healthy for the game. When referees make major |
| idea of video replays, suggesting that it would slow | | | | mistakes, FIFA (and referees) should at least be able |
| down the pace of the game. Sepp Blatter, FIFA's | | | | to admit that. For all the aforementioned reasons, FIFA |
| president, even suggested that referee errors and the | | | | must take some discredit for the performance of |
| resultant controversy provide a talking point. He might | | | | referees at the World Cup. |