FIFA is to consider abolishing extra time at the World Cup and going straight to penalties if knockout matches are drawn, the federation’s president Sepp Blatter said yesterday.
Blatter also said that FIFA would look at ways of encouraging teams to play a more attacking game after a flurry of low-scoring contests in the early stages of this year’s World Cup in South Africa.
“In the first few matches of the group stage in South Africa, we witnessed some teams that went out to avoid defeat, that were playing for a draw from the outset,” he told FIFA’s Web site. “This is a topic that I would like to discuss at upcoming football and technical committee meetings. We have to try to find a way to encourage free-flowing football in tournaments like the World Cup, with teams playing to win.”
“We plan to take the opportunity to look at the concept of extra time as well. Often we see teams set themselves up even more defensively in extra time, in an attempt to avoid conceding a goal at all costs,” he said. “To prevent this, we could go directly to a penalty shootout at full time or reintroduce the golden goal rule. We’ll see what emerges from the Committee meetings.”
Blatter’s remarks differ from an interview he gave to the German magazine Focus last month, when he was quoted as saying FIFA were considering penalty shootouts to provide a winner when drawn matches ended goalless.
Separately, FIFA’s World Cup inspectors have had breakfast at the White House, meeting with aides to US President Barack Obama.
The six-man delegation that is assessing the US bid for the 2018 or 2022 World Cup met on Wednesday with US Secretary for Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan, White House deputy chief of staff Jim Messina and senior adviser Valerie Jarrett, an assistant to the president for intergovernmental affairs and public engagement.
FIFA’s group was scheduled to visit Miami later on Wednesday before completing its five-city US tour yesterday in Texas.
FIFA’s 24-man executive committee votes on Dec. 2 on the 2018 and 2022 hosts.
Europe is likely to stage the 2018 tournament, with England, Russia, Spain-Portugal and Belgium-Netherlands competing against the US. Australia, Japan, Qatar and South Korea are only bidding for 2022.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
Taiwan’s Lee Jhe-huei and Yang Po-hsuan on Saturday won the men’s doubles bronze medal at the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, China, after they were bested by the hosts in their semi-final. The Taiwanese shuttlers lost to China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang, who advanced to yesterday’s final against Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzudin. The Chinese pair outplayed Lee and Yang in straight games. Although the Taiwanese got off to a slow start in the first game, they eventually tied it 14-14, before Liang and Wang went on to blow past them to win 21-17. In the second game, Lee and