All Whites defender Michael Boxall was allegedly the victim of racial abuse from a Qatari player. Photo / Photosport
All Whites defender Michael Boxall was allegedly the victim of racial abuse from a Qatari player. Photo / Photosport
Fifa are taking a cautious approach to the alleged incident of racial abuse in the All Whites’ match with Qatar on Tuesday, which led to the New Zealand team refusing to take the field in the second half.
In the 40th minute of the international in Austria, a confrontationbetween defender Michael Boxall and Qatari winger Yusuf Abdurisag incited a strong reaction from the All Whites in earshot, with New Zealand Football later saying Abdurisag had used a significant racial slur, directed towards Boxall.
The episode – and the abandoned match – has provoked a strong fallout in both countries, while also being reported widely across the football world.
But football’s world governing body are being careful not to make any early judgements.
In their first reported comments on the issue – from an exclusive interview with the Herald - Fifa said they are “waiting to get the full picture”.
“Fifa is compiling reports, looking at reports taken from the game and they will be analysed and looked at,” a Fifa spokesperson told the Herald. “We are waiting to get the full picture and all the information on what happened. Depending on what the report says, further steps can take place.”
Every senior international football match – whether competitive or a friendly – has a match delegate or commissioner who oversees the arrangements and reports back to Fifa. Their document will include the summary of facts from referee Manuel Schuttengruber, as well as submissions from both the All Whites team management and the Qatari delegation.
Fifa couldn’t confirm if there will be further dialogue with either national federation, though New Zealand Football CEO Andrew Pragnell told the Herald on Tuesday he intends to write to Fifa president Gianni Infantino with his concerns.
“We are waiting for reports,” said the spokesperson. “If needed steps will be taken following that.”
Despite the potentially serious nature of the incident – and Fifa’s previous strong recent messaging around racist behaviour in the sport – they didn’t want to comment on the specific event.
“Fifa’s position on racism in general is quite clear,” said the spokesperson. “But about this particular match we are not in a position to comment because we have to wait for all the facts. Once they are analysed we will be in a position to potentially speak further.”
All Whites defender Michael Boxall. Photo / Getty Images
Speaking on a general basis, the spokesperson said that in such situations, a disciplinary investigation could be instigated, if it is deemed necessary. That would involve Fifa inspectors, before the material was presented to the Fifa disciplinary committee. That body comprises representatives from each of Fifa’s six confederations and they convene on a periodic basis throughout the year.
They would decide on any possible sanctions, though it would be “jumping the gun” to speculate on possible penalties for either national federation.
It is also difficult to assess when the case might be resolved.
“It depends completely on the complexity or what the issues are,” said the spokesperson. “For these kinds of issues it’s difficult to put a timeframe on because no case is exactly the same.”
It will be an awkward predicament for Fifa. They have taken a strong stance on racist behaviour and abuse, with Infantino announcing last week that their anti-racism taskforce would be reprised, after being mothballed in 2016, with Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr, who has suffered repeated abuse in Spain’s La Liga, part of that committee.
But the lack of official action taken by the referee during the match, plus the counter allegation made by the Qatar FA on Wednesday that the alleged perpetrator Abdurisag was himself the target of racial abuse – could muddy the waters.
In a statement, the Qataris said their player “stressed that, in fact, he himself was racially abused during the match”, while denying the allegation from the All Whites camp.
Qatar’s close relationship with Fifa also can’t be ignored. The tiny Gulf state invested a reported US$200 billion into capital infrastructure and stadiums over the last decade to prepare for the 2022 World Cup.
That event delivered Fifa’s most profitable tournament, a jump in revenue of more than US$1 billion from the previous edition in Russia. Infantino also shifted his main residence to Doha in January last year, an unprecedented move away from Zurich for Fifa’s top official.
