Juve's Ferrara Wants TV Replays Halted
Copyright � 2000 Nando Media
Copyright � 2000 Agence France-Presse
MILAN, Italy (February 9, 2000 12:41 p.m. EST http://www.sportserver.com) - Juventus and Italy defender Ciro
Ferrara has called for a temporary ban on television replays of
controversial incidents in the light of increasingly bitter
arguments over refereeing decisions.
Inter Milan coach Marcello Lippi was at the center of the latest war of words after referee Pierluigi Collina awarded a dubious penalty against Inter in injury time allowing Parma's Hernan Crespo to equalise in Sunday's 1-1 Serie A draw.
Criticism of referees by players and coaches has been on the
rise this season and public confidence in officials appears to
have dropped following the revelations that AS Roma gave Rolex
watches as Christmas gifts to Serie A officials.
A recent survey in an Italian sports magazine claimed that around half of Italian supporters felt that referees were biased.
Sunday's incident was replayed scores of times on Italian
television programmes prompting Ferrara to suggest that it was
time to call a halt on the constant playback of refereeing
mistakes.
"We could try putting such replays on hold for one Sunday," said Ferrara. "It would help towards a general reconciliation and put the emphasis back on the skills and technique of the most beautiful game in the world."
With huge sections of Italy's sports press giving prime space to arguments over refereeing decisions Ferrara called for restraint on the part of the media.
"I think journalists could play a part by keeping quiet for
a week, rather than continuing with the typical coverage of a
match which simply seems to come down to refereeing mistakes and
fails to take into account the real substance of a match.
"In this way everyone could relax a bit. Of course arguments will continue, but if we carry on like this referees won't be able to do their work in peace. We have to accept that referees also can make mistakes," he said.
The proposal has received a mixed reaction from leading figures in Italian sports television.
Giovanni Bruno, director of the sports section of state television Rai said that he considered Ferrara's suggestion to
be a good idea, "We can try but it is a difficult proposal
because replays are part of our daily coverage, but in general I
agree with it."
But Ettore Rognoni, sports director of the commercial
Mediaset channels, said he thinks Ferrara's proposal would be
counter-productive.
"Replays serve to clarify controversial incidents, without
them you would have only arguments. We need to clear up
incidents otherwise they will always stay in doubt," he said.
Juventus coach Carlo Ancelotti believes television can help
in another way - to end the practice of pitch-side interviews
with coaches and players immediately after the final whistle.
"These interviews at the end of a match are a trap," said
Ancelotti. "We should abolish them because they make the coach
speak when he is still wound-up from the game."
