England’s and Mexico’s misfortunes prompted a previously recalcitrant Sepp Blatter, the president of FIFA, to apologize on Tuesday for refereeing errors and to announce that he would reopen the discussion about the use of goal-line technology in soccer.
“I deplore when you see the evident referees’ mistakes,” Blatter told reporters. “It has not been a five-star game for referees. I’m distressed by the evident referees’ mistakes.”
The teams from England and Mexico paid the price for FIFA’s resistance to upgrade its officiating at this World Cup when they were eliminated in the Round of 16 after obvious mistakes by the referees.
Way way too little and way way too late…
Intercessor
The USA are owed that apology as well
[i]eliminated in the Round of 16 after obvious mistakes by the referees. [/i]
Indeed, but not [b]because[/b] of those mistakes. Both England and Mexico got their bums kicked by a superior team. USA won their group in spite of a dreadful call, and were thereafter sent home by the #32 team in the world. Giving up early goals consistently has a way of catching up with you.