What We're Reading
FIFA to Study Costa Rica's World Cup Qualifying Protest
- Associated Press, Monday, March 25, 2013 12:59 PM
FIFA on Monday has said it will study the official protest it received from Costa Rica following its 1-0 loss to the United States in a CONCACAF World Cup qualifier in a snowstorm in Denver, CO.
"FIFA will now analyze the content of the letter and next steps will be determined in due course,'' the governing body said Monday in a statement.
The Costa Rica soccer federation
(FEDEFUTBOL) on Sunday had written an official complaint to FIFA, saying that the “physical integrity” of players and referees had been compromised due to the weather, that “ball
movement became impossible” and that field markings were not visible during Friday’s game. FEDEFUTBOL also urged FIFA to punish referee Joel Aguilar of El Salvador for
allowing the game to proceed.
According to the Associated Press, the protest must meet specific requirements stated in the 2014 World Cup Regulations, such as: if the field is
unplayable, then the protesting team’s captain "shall immediately lodge a protest with the referee in the presence of the captain of the opposing team.'' Further, Costa Rica also had to file its
protest with the match coordinator within two hours of the final whistle, and to FIFA's administration by registered letter within 24 hours, "otherwise they shall be disregarded.” At the time of
publication, FIFA had yet to determine whether Costa Rica had followed those procedures.
