NUFC may persue legal action against Senegal and FIFA

http://www.jarrowandhebburngazette....gal-action-against-senegal-and-fifa-1-5144228

Newcastle United set to take legal action against Senegal and FIFA

By MILES STARFORTH

Published on Sunday 18 November 2012 12:18

NEWCASTLE United have threatened legal action against Senegal’s football federation and FIFA after Papiss Demba Cisse was banned from playing against Swansea City.

The club launched a stinging attack on both organisations yesterday.

Senegal invoked FIFA’s five-day rule after Cisse didn’t report for international duty this week after suffering a back injury last weekend.

Newcastle insist they informed the federation of his condition, and tried in vain to get the suspension lifted.

The club finally found out that Cisse wouldn’t be able to play 20 minutes before Pardew had to hand in his teamsheet for the Swansea game, which ended in a 2-1 defeat for United.

A strongly-worded statement said Newcastle were “dismayed and angry” at Senegal’s stance.

Cisse has also questioned whether he will continue to captain his country.

“I am deeply disappointed by the actions of my federation, which have punished me and my club,” said Cisse.

“I love playing for my country and would only withdraw from a squad – for either a friendly or competitive game – for a genuine reason.

“I am fully supportive of the position my club has adopted in this matter, and am sorry that the federation seem to doubt my honesty and integrity.

“I will now consider if I wish to continue to captain my country.”

United also questioned whether Senegal’s actions were driven by the decision not to allow Cisse to play in the summer’s Olympics.

The club’s statement read: “Immediately following the Premier League fixture against West Ham United on Sunday, the club went through the normal communication channels to advise the Senegalese Federation that both Papiss and Demba Ba would not be available for the international friendly match between Niger and Senegal due to injury.

“No reply was received, and as such further communications were sent to the Federation on Monday.

“The club was not prepared to allow Papiss to travel to Niger as this would have been detrimental to his clinical condition.

“In accordance with FIFA regulations, the club was more than happy for the player to be examined in England by a doctor of the federation’s choice in order to validate the player’s medical condition.

“The federation did not take this option, and instead contacted FIFA to ask them to apply the regulation that effectively prevents Papiss from playing this weekend.

“It is the opinion of the club that it is wrong and wholly unjust for a national association to behave in this manner, and for FIFA to endorse their stance and automatically apply the sanction without taking into account the specific facts of the case.

“The club is disappointed, although not in any way surprised, that FIFA has disregarded its submissions and valid points in relation to this matter, and instead have supported a national association which ignored repeated attempts by the club to engage with them and, furthermore, insisted on a course of action which would have had a detrimental impact on the player’s physical condition.

“The club understands that in addition to Papiss Cisse and Demba Ba, a number of other players were withdrawn from the Senegal squad.

“To the best of our knowledge, Papiss Cisse and Newcastle United are the only parties that the national association has sought sanctions against.

“It is the club’s genuinely held view that the Senegalese Federation have an agenda against Papiss and/or Newcastle United, possibly as a reaction to the club’s decision earlier this year not to allow Papiss to participate in the London Olympics 2012.

“The club intends to take this matter up with the Football Association and any other relevant body within the game to try to stop national associations/federations and FIFA from preventing an employee (a player) from fulfilling their contractual obligations to their employer (a club).

“The club acknowledges the importance of international football and the great honour players undoubtedly get from representing their country.

“That said, national associations and FIFA should have a duty of care to clubs with regards to their players.

“And it cannot be allowed to continue that national associations can, as in this case, seek to act in a way which is not in the best interests of a player and compromises their well-being and, furthermore, is then able to apply to FIFA who impose a sanction which damages that individual and his employer without a fair and equitable process being applied.

“The club will be speaking to its legal advisors to see if it has recourse against the Senegalese Federation and/or FIFA.”

 

Personally I think any forward action against FIFA would be plain stupid as the best we will get is a few quid maybe... the worst..... the world governing body out to victimise us at every opportunity.
What's your view?

 

Just let it go for me. Nothing to be gained. Let Papiss decide what he wants to do in the future because they have treat him like ****e. Poor lad has missed an important game and looked seriously pissed off yesterday.

 

Yeah, I wouldn't bother. He's missed the game he was going to miss now, nothing we can do about it. No point angering FIFA or the Senegalese fa with repercussions in the future.

 

I'd love it if he retired from internationals though, would serve the lying f*ckers right! As a club though we should steer clear of causing havoc with FIFA and the Senegal FA, we have nothing to gain from pursuing the matter in the long run.

 

This is what I would do. If being an active international endangers your ability to do your paid job for your employer then just retire as the safest course of action.

 

On the wrong board board aren't you astroturfnaut, the Rep Brothel is that way. ---->

 

Part of me would love to see the club take a stance on this, but in this instance, the best course of action is to let this particular sleeping dog lie.
As for Cisse, he should do what he feels is right for him, l would not like him to sacrifice his international career for the sake of something that cannot be changed.

 

If we informed the Senegal powers that be that both Cisse and Ba were unavailable, and NUFC received no reply, then why was only Cisse banned from playing and not Ba as well ?

I can't see any mention of that anywhere ! (apologies if i've missed it !)

 

Still around then wee Jimeh. A wee bit of welcome rep to get you started.

 

Was goingto say the same thing, surely we must have let them know of both at the same time.

Understand why peoples view that we should just leave it but I think we need to stand up and fight this as long as we have 100% proof that we sent the correct comunications on time to the right place.