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Legality of disciplining footballers

  • 06-05-2011 11:57am
    #1
    Paz-CCFC
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,527 ✭✭✭


    How far can football associations go in fining/suspending footballers?

    I've always thought that some of the disciplinary actions taken against footballers have been shocking. Just recently, Alex Ferguson was given a five match ban and a £30,000 for criticising the referee. Surely, disciplining someone, especially to this extent, for giving their opinion can't be legal?

    It's happened in Ireland, as well. Sligo manager Paul Cook was quite vocal about refereeing decisions and was met with a number of warnings and fines from the FAI. Cook then said that he wasn't prepared to give his opinion on referees, as he'd only receive another fine. Surely this is contravening his constitutional right to free speech?

    I've looked around a bit, but I can't find any cases (high profile, at least) about a player or manager fighting an undue disciplinary action. I'm surprised really, as I think some would have a good case and it would set out a good precedence.


Comments

  • #2
    Our man in Havana
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29,473 ✭✭✭✭Our man in Havana


    It is probably in their contracts that they can be penalised by their club or the FAI/UEFA/FIFA etc.


  • #3
    Jicked
    Closed Accounts Posts: 101 ✭✭Jicked


    It will be in their participation agreement with the league. Once the regulatory board is only issuing proportionate fines, and not acting as a judicial body it's fine. That's why you'll hear about managers or players being fined the maximum two weeks wages, or whatever, if they had their whole year's salary taken off them then the disciplinary committee would effectively be acting as a judicial body, imposing a judicial punishment on the person in question, which would be unconstitutional.

    On a side note, Paul Cook deserves to be fined weekly for ruining fans matchgoing experience by leaping about the place in his cheap plastic bib every time a free kick is given to the opposition side, roaring in that horrible hoarse Scouser accent of his at every single decision.


  • #4
    Carawaystick
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,779 ✭✭✭Carawaystick


    Paz-CCFC wrote: »
    How far can football associations go in fining/suspending footballers?

    I've always thought that some of the disciplinary actions taken against footballers have been shocking. Just recently, Alex Ferguson was given a five match ban and a £30,000 for criticising the referee. Surely, disciplining someone, especially to this extent, for giving their opinion can't be legal?

    It's happened in Ireland, as well. Sligo manager Paul Cook was quite vocal about refereeing decisions and was met with a number of warnings and fines from the FAI. Cook then said that he wasn't prepared to give his opinion on referees, as he'd only receive another fine. Surely this is contravening his constitutional right to free speech?

    I've looked around a bit, but I can't find any cases (high profile, at least) about a player or manager fighting an undue disciplinary action. I'm surprised really, as I think some would have a good case and it would set out a good precedence.
    If he stopped having anything to do with the FAI(L) he wouldn't have to pay anything.


    Same with that former Aberdeen manager, if he'd retitired when he said he was going to, then as a pundit, the epl or fa couldn't fine him.


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