Essien + FIFA – Justice is Yellow

Remarkable though it may seem, Michael Essien has escaped a three match ban for the horror tackle he inflicted on Bolton’s Tal Ben Haim at Stamford Bridge – courtesy of an intervention from FIFA that some cynics might say has ‘Blatter’ written all over it.

At the time, Sam Allardyce plus several thousand spectators (many of them Chelsea supporters) thought it was worthy of a straight red – a view later endorsed by a vast television audience.

Later still, referee Rob Styles, with the benefit of hindsight (which after all, is a lot better than short sight) agreed and recommended a retrospective red.

But it was not to be - because FIFA are concerned about the dangers inherent in such awards. That is a great pity, since what FIFA ought to be concerned about is justice. True justice demanded that Essien be given a straight red at the time – an action which would have deprived Chelsea of his services for some 50 minutes of the match and subsequently three further games. Unfortunately, Mr Styles – though close to the incident – was for some reason unable to act appropriately, and therefore the closest approximation to justice is a retrospective red.

The failure to administer justice at Stamford Bridge punished Bolton, since they were obliged to play against 11 – ironically for much of the second half with only 10. And the failure to apply retrospective justice will both enhance Chelsea’s cause and diminish the prospects of their opponents in three further games.

Can this be right?

The Special One (aka The Breath of Fresh Air) clearly believes so, since he has protested vehemently (a little too vehemently perhaps) that Essien is a clean player and really was injured by the tackle – a stance that does absolutely nothing for public perception of his integrity.

As for FIFA, episodes like this can only lend credence to the view that the world organisation is, like the man who leads it, difficult to take seriously.