FIFA to Censor Match Action Shown on Stadium Screens
After some questionable officiating in the World Cup, FIFA said today that they would censor match action being shown on giant screens inside the stadium. This, of course, comes on the heels of replays of Argentina's disputed first goal against Mexico fueled arguments on the pitch.
Rightfully so, angry Mexico players protested to referee Roberto Rosetti after the screens showed Argentina forward Carlos Tevez was offside before he scored the opening goal in a 3-1 victory on Sunday.
ESPN reported that FIFA spokesman Nicolas Maingot said on Monday that replaying the incident was "a clear mistake."
"This will be corrected and we will have a closer look into that," Maingot told a news conference Monday. "We will work on this and be a bit more, I would say, tight on this for the games to be played."
According to ESPN, Maingot said the screens were used to broadcast a FIFA "infotainment program" to fans before the match and could be used to replay some match action.
Responsibility for operating the screens is the responsibility of the organizing committee, which is also in charge of the 10 stadiums during the tournament.
Organizers' spokesman Jermaine Craig said, according to ESPN, that he had spoken to the stadium broadcasting team about the incident.
"The goal was awarded and it happened relatively quickly," Craig told ESPN. "In retrospect, maybe it shouldn't have been shown. It was shown and unfortunately there is nothing we can do about that."
Maingot told ESPN that FIFA has not yet received feedback from its officials at the match about a mass confrontation between coaches and players behind the Mexico bench as the teams left the field at halftime.
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