For once FIFA Chooses Clubs over Countries

Normally when you read about FIFA intervening in club versus country controversies they are defending the various football associations around the world for plucking players from their clubs and forcing them to play in international contests. That is what makes the developments involving Mahamadou Diarra and Fredi Kanoute so interesting.

The Mali internationals had left their clubs in Spain, Real Madrid and Sevilla, respectively, to take part in Mali’s African Cup of Nations qualifier against Sierra Leone on Sunday. This didn’t sit too well with their clubs who are part of a three-way race for La Liga supremacy entering the final week of the competition. In almost every case ever, FIFA has ruled that country has supremacy over club. Not in this instance. The world’s football governing body ordered Mali to release the players because the African Nations Cup game, which was approved by FIFA back in March, is not part of an internationally agreed upon schedule. Perhaps they should have thought about that when they approved it in the first place.

This is of course great for the teams in Spain and for the integrity of the race in La Liga but think about it from Mali’s perspective. It is entirely unfair. I have no problem with FIFA trying to limit the impact of international games on club teams, but they need to be consistent. You know that if the same situation involved players on England’s national team or on the Italian squad, FIFA would be fighting tooth and nail to see that they meet their international obligations. Why should it be any different for Mali?

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