Do you think the Koreans cheated (by paying refs, etc.) in WC 2002?
967252
I don't know if they cheated but the refs sure were biased towards them.  Even FIFA Pres. Sepp Blatter admitted that Italy got screwed and that Tommasi's goal was not offside and Totti did not deserve a yellow card for diving.\n\nCheck my sources for proof.\nThey are 2 very reputable sources: BBC and ESPN\n\nBut we won it in 2006 so it proves we're the best: Forza Italia!!!
1117619
I think ther was nothing wrong with the descisions the ref made. Koreans are whinning coz they lost. Random hand ball does not result in a penalty deliberate handballs do. Koreas have been poor. It goes on to prove how they cheated their way in 2002, & they were not worth it.
1133494
Yes, he and the officiating crew were pretty bad.  Even the announcers stated that they hoped it was his last game as a referee.\n\nI do not think it was a coincidence that they chose to card 2 US players out of the game - and that at least 1 US player will still be ineligible for the next must-win game against Ghana.\n\nI'll probably get rapped in the mouth for saying so, but this bias seems to be typical of the anti-American bias in many international sports (World Cup, Davis Cup, Ryder Cup, Olympics [especially Winter Olympic events], and many World Championship competitions).  The IOC even stated that part of its reasoning why it chose to eliminate softball and baseball from future Summer Olympiads was because these events were unfair to other countries due to the success of US teams.  The US has only won 1 or 2 baseball gold medals in the last 30-40 years.  But, I don't hear about the IOC applying this same reasoning to other events - especially "judges" events - dominated by one country or region.\n\nSo, don't expect this unfriendly atmosphere in international competition to change any time soon.  I'll get off my soapbox now.
395797
serves them right for cheating 2002 world cup... lol jk, yeah they are in the high 20s or something...
659525
Of course.\n\nIt was only a scuffle. They were both competitive.\n\nThe ref was a fool
1186253
do you belive that THE REFS SUCK
988750
I don't think it's corruption, who would dare with there already being a scandal in Italy?  Inept is the right word, the officiating has been horrible, the worst I've seen.  The Koreans benefited from it in the match with France when the french made a goal that wasn't counted, this time they were on the losing end.
1023457
it wasn't fair what the ref did...I'm wondering where's the fair-play that FIFA is talking about?\nand yeah maybe the ref was payed to do what he did..
1153167
I think there's been a few major mistakes, but most of the beef has been because the referees have done what FIFA told them to do:\n\nJapan's goal against Australia.  This missed call was easy to understand.  The first Japanese player to push the keeper out of the way (the one that truly affected play) would have been screened from the view of both referees.  The second Japanese player that took the keeper out had no effect on play, since the ball was already by the keeper.\n\nCahill's foul against Japan.  Should have been a red card.  Cahill later scores two goals to win the game for Australia.\n\nGraham Poll giving Simunic of Croatia three yellows in a game was a big mistake.  He was lucky it had no impact.\n\nThe PK in the Italy - Australia game.  This is debatable, since it seems to amost be a cultural thing on whether that was a good call or not, but I just don't see how that could have been a foul.\n\nThe referee in the Portugal-Netherlands game wore out before the game ended.  He could have made life a little easier with a few straight red cards (Boularouz's tackle in the first 5 minutes of the game, for example).\n\nThe errors in the offside calls are different this time around.  You're always going to have mistaken offside calls because a well-timed run should be difficult to call.  In the past, any doubt was decided in favor of the defender.  This World Cup, the AR's are more likely to decide in favor of the attacker (it's about time, since FIFA has been pushing in this direction for nearly 10 years).\n\nA lot of borderline calls - reds that could have been yellows and yellows that could have been reds.  \n\nOverall, most of the referees have performed fairly well, with a few really good performances and a few performances with one or two critical errors.  Naturally, the errors are more memorable than the good performances.
1081630
maybe he has something against them, or maybe you're rooting for ghana and so any call against you team is biased and is an example of "cheating" however, if ghana had scored a goal on an offside play that hadn't been called, i bet you wouldn't be complaining about the the ref.
1126732
I feel your frustration and I am in agreement with your assessment. Too many false red-cards have found their way from referees pockets into play during this cup -- which is completely opposite from the 2002 World Cup play (battles).   I like the game but these politics keep me from devoting too much time to following this sport professionally.
1001248
Well the refs have to be paid.  But I don't think they are being bribed.  Maybe the teams try to bribe the refs but you don't want to get in such a situation because if it comes out...then all hell breaks loose
847003
Not one single opposing player scored on Italy for the entire WC in regular play.  I seriously doubt Ziziou or anyone else would have done that with only 10 minutes left.\n\nEdit:\nSome good points below me that indeed the Italians could have lost in the final moments of the game (not including the fact Zizou would have been in the shoot out).  What I want to know is how much some of you would have bet money on it.\nYes Italia did well in the Germany game, and lets not forget the Australians against South Korea (I think it was against SK).  It's just not likely is all.
1082652
I think they weren't gonna win the game anyway.\nBut I agree the referee was pathetic ... \nKorea could've gone out as a proud loser, but instead the referee ruined their pride. Shame on him ... the referee!
1049133
bad refereeing.. FIFA has really lost it.. they've run out of FAIR and IMPARTIAL referees, can't they see?? les bleus is not the only victim during this tournament.. i was really pissed when the ref didn't allow that 2nd goal for france.. it was SO obvious that it got in.. why aren't they using camera replays to rule the goals scored in the WC? cn't they just hv an observer at the sideline that relays the info to the ref via the headpiece thingy all of them have on? really want to file a complaint against FIFA.. poor france.. if it weren't for that bad judgement, france whould've been the top of group G.. go LES BLEUS!!!!
1132921
Yes definitely. There was no foul that I saw and the goal that resulted from the penalty kick changed the game completely. Had the referee made the right call the game would have played out differently. I agree with you about too may referees using bad judgement in making calls. It was a bad call that kept Mastrioni (?) and Pope out of the game vs. Ghana because of the match against Italy.
1022710
Korea will destroy Switzerland, the only reason Switzerland beat Togo was because the referee was a racist loser. He didn't even call that clear penalty committed by a Swiss. So, I don't think the "12th" player will help them at all.