Biased/Unfair Soccer Mod

Rondolfus

I wish to lodge a formal complaint against Soccer moderator Iago. It relates to unnecessary and biased deletion and editing of posts on the following thread.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055759572&page=10


Iago claimed that he was “tidying this (thread) up, this is a football forum, not a political forum, not a free for all for prejudice based on whatever misguided thoughts lead someone to believe they have a platform to spout ****e on.


I read this and thought nothing more until I realised that a number of my posts had been edited and deleted. Posts that in no way breached any rules, or contained any political references. My main “opinion” which was deleted was that I wouldn’t support England in the world cup because of the element of football hooligans that support them. I really don’t know why this was deleted???

Another of my posts were edited to remove the following opinion …

“ that English media reacted to the Henry incident more to get one over on the French than out of any love the Irish. And that if they did in fact care about Ireland’s plight how come the IFAB which has 50% British representation didn’t put pressure on Fifa in the aftermath?”

Now agree or disagree this is MY opinion. Does Igao have the right to remove it from my post citing it as “Rubbish”??

Furthermore, another poster in response to the “Hooligan” argument said that one of the reasons for the 95 riots was because of IRA activity in England. This was as close to political as the discussion came and it had nothing to do with me. In fact I even suggested to the poster that we stick to football.

To reinforce my argument about the problem of hooligans in English football, I embedded a video of the 95 English riots in Ireland. This surely is a valid enough reason why an Irish person mightn’t support England. Not according to Iago… who deleted it….???

To reiterate, I never once launched a personal attack on anyone. I never once slandered a whole nation clearly stating “hooligans” were only a section of the fans. I never once breached any rules. I pm’d Iago about this and low and behold he has given me a warning for the following post…

“I hope this thread is locked soon. Its become a farce considering your posts will just be edited or deleted if you don't write what a certain person wants you too.... ”

I feel he has totally undermined the thread by letting his personal opinions interfere with his moderating duties. He says my “opinions” weren’t adding anything to the thread???? I think the other posters, who I was having a friendly debate with would disagree. I also feel considering the circumstances my warning should be revoked..

Thank you

Rondolfus

BTW Iago doesn't believe my posts contribute to the thread, but apparently the following is just fine...:rolleyes:

Fratton Fred wrote: »

Tom Dunne

Hi,

just a reminder that the dispute resolution process requires you to take it to the CMods before you start a thread in the Help Desk.

Full details here. So contact the CMods, see how you get on, and if you are still not happy with the outcome, come back to us here.

Rondolfus

Tom Dunne wrote: »

Hi,

just a reminder that the dispute resolution process requires you to take it to the CMods before you start a thread in the Help Desk.

Full details here. So contact the CMods, see how you get on, and if you are still not happy with the outcome, come back to us here.

Hi I took your advice and contacted the Cmod. As I expected he sided with the Original Mod. I'd like to open the issue here now. My main problem is the following post being edited

“ that English media reacted to the Henry incident more to get one over on the French than out of any love the Irish. And that if they did in fact care about Ireland’s plight how come the IFAB which has 50% British representation didn’t put pressure on Fifa in the aftermath?”

Now agree or disagree this is MY opinion. Does Igao have the right to remove it from my post citing it as “Rubbish”??

The topic of discussion was if Ireland would be supporting England in light of their "support" for us over the Henry incident. I felt my opinion was valid and relevant to the conversation albeit it didn't fit in with Iago's agenda. He felt the need to remove this, however, didn't feel the need to remove a post that just had a picture of a Union jack and the words "no surrender"????? Does that seem fair and balanced to you? If somebody just posted the Irish flag and "tiocfaidh ar lá" would that have been allowed?

The cmod said he agreed with Iago removing certain posts in order to redirect the conversation. I don't believe this is what happened. It was clear from the posters that thanked him for his actions that only one side of the argument benefited.

I undertsand that mods sometimes need to delete posts in order to tidy up a forum. This happens often. I firmly believe this case is different because some of the posts that were deleted were very relevant (but cited as rubbish by Iago) and some of the posts that were left untouched were blatantly anti-Irish and irrelevant. Anybody who has half a brain knows that "No surrender" and a Union Jack is a slogan associated with anti-Irish terrorist groups in Northern Ireland, just as "Tiocfaidh ar lá" is associated with the IRA. The mod can pretend the post in question is not sectarian, but we all know it is.

I feel extremely angry because I was censored despite making a conscious effort to argue facts, while other posters were given free reign to submit posts such as the sectarian fueled union jack one. As the Cmod even pointed out, I broke no rules as regards my posts! The question is whether Iago acted correctly in "tidying" the forum up. Considering the posts he left and the posts he deleted, I don't think he did. He obviously had an agenda, and I feel that he should be warned not to abuse his mod powers in the future.

Thank you.

BuffyBot

Now, I just had a read of some of that thread, and you really don't come across very well at all in it (and I'm no soccer fan).

I don't see any "abuse of mod powers" here at all. If anything, he was lenient. Had I been modding there, you would both be out on your behinds for various reasons, leaving aside the point-scoring squabbling that took place.

Rondolfus

BuffyBot wrote: »

Now, I just had a read of some of that thread, and you really don't come across very well at all in it (and I'm no soccer fan).

I don't see any "abuse of mod powers" here at all. If anything, he was lenient. Had I been modding there, you would both be out on your behinds for various reasons, leaving aside the point-scoring squabbling that took place.

Really ?? Would you mind expanding on your point about me breaching the rules? Just so I know were I stand in future?

Also will you explain to me why a the post "no surrender" above was deemed accecptable? I never once made any sectarian or racist comment. The other poster did it as a matter of course, and was not reprimanded. Seems a bit odd to me. Though I have to admit, I am becoming less surprised the more I see how things are done around here.

BuffyBot

Now, other people's post have very little bearing here, and frankly I find them irrelevant to the topic at hand, but I'll address this for you anyway: the image could well be construed as sectarian, but I don't believe that it was used in that context on this occasion. The post is making an entirely different point, from what I see. I think you're reading too much into it and making it into something it wasn't originally intended to be: easily done on that forum, given the various tribalistic attitudes that are regularily displayed there.

Now - let's focus on the bigger problem here: your behaviour. It was disruptive, bordering on trolling and it threathened to drag the thread further into the mire into which it was sinking. That des make it ripe for a "tidy-up". Redirecting conversations is part and parcel of the moderator role. No one likes having their posts removed, the e-version of having their wrists slapped, but that doesn't mean it wasn't nessecary.

As such I don't have an issue with what the Mod has done on this occasion. I'm sure that desicion will undoubtedly leave you unhappy, but short of getting your own way, I'm not sure what would make you happier about the situation.