Crackdown on Fouls Fails to Eliminate Rough Play

After two World Cup referees were criticized for being too lenient while players were kicked black and blue, yellow and red cards have been brandished with increasing frequency in the tournament.

In the first 30 World Cup games, seven players were sent off, only one fewer than in the whole 52-game tournament in 1986. Yellow cards stood at 91, closing in quickly on the total of 135 four years ago.

Play might not look more brutal than it was in Mexico four years ago as referees have clamped down on fouls, trying to let the game flow and attackers flourish. FIFA issued new orders for referees to toughen up at the start of the World Cup and warned teams that hefty fines would be slapped on offenders.

But what was supposed to be a deterrent seemingly has had little effect.

Vicious fouls with spikes swiping at exposed ankles continue to mar the game. Even if obvious fouls to avoid a goal get a red card, it didn’t stop Cameroon’s players in their 1-0 upset of Argentina in the World Cup’s opening game. Two Cameroonians were ejected in a match marred by vicious tackling.

FIFA Secretary General Joseph Blatter said last weekend that there should have been even more yellow and red cards flashed during the opening two weeks.

In an unusually frank remark about referees, Blatter said Italian Luigi Agnolin and Soviet Alexei Spirin were not fit to referee at the World Cup any more after failing to curb “violent interference.”

Syrian Jamal Sharif heeded the warning.

The little-known referee showed no less than nine yellow cards and one red in Tuesday’s game between Austria and the United States. The game was marked by dangerous, high-flying tackles.

Twenty-one cards were issued in the four matches Tuesday.

Although he would not discuss individual referees, West German Coach Franz Beckenbauer had his own strong words for the officiating.

“All referees should act in the same way,” Beckenbauer said. “Instead there have been stiff and indulgent decisions so far. I would suggest that FIFA convenes a meeting of referees and advises them to make the same, consistent decisions.”

FIFA spokesman Andreas Herren said Blatter would not comment on the issue until FIFA’s referee committee meets June 27.