Yesterday, I was unsurprised to learn the historically uneasy alliance between Leeds United Football Club (LUFC) and game administrators had taken another dip. Events which led to Friday’s following statement on the club’s official website:-
“Leeds United acknowledges that Kiko Casilla has been found guilty of breaching FA Rule E3 during our Sky Bet Championship game with Charlton Athletic in September 2019.
We would like to make it clear that we do not tolerate any form of discrimination within our football club and we are a leader in the fight against discrimination within our wider community.
“However, it is important to recognise that Kiko has always denied making any racist comment.
“The FA panel have based their decision on the balance of probability rather than proving Kiko to be guilty beyond reasonable doubt, which we have always believed is the more appropriate burden of proof.”
The statement hinting of discontentment at the FA handing club stopper Kiko Casillas an eight game ban for a crime he wasn’t found guilty of without reasonable doubt. This punishment the consequence of an independent regulatory panel opining ‘he probably did it!’…… God bless the baffling edicts of our national sports administrators.
The net guardian in question subject of an investigation over a period of months for an alleged racist slight. The fact the former Real Madrid keeper wasn’t proved conclusively guilty not sparing him from a heavy fine, or indeed an additional two games ban over the minimum six for proven guilty of the crime.
Surely, logic would dictate that lack of certainty would’ve, if the FA were insistent on punishing the goalkeeper, resulted in the very strictest sentence being handed out that of a minimum six games ban.
Let me state here and now, I deem racism to be abhorrent and if Casillas had’ve been proven guilty of the crimes he’d fully deserve his punishment. However, how can you ban a player for eight games on the premise of a few administrator’s gut feelings that ‘he probably did it’?…… A weasely decision which, unlike the grand lunches guardians of our national sport probably enjoy, leaves a bad taste in the mouth.
Since the decision was announced, I’ve read accusations on social media the aforementioned pen pushers must have a clandestine agenda. However, with FA dealings always undertaken with impeccable integrity, I’m not prepared to countenance conspiracy theories of misdeeds aimed towards the West Yorkshire club…… Blimey, next you’ll be telling me Lee Harvey Oswald wasn’t the lone gunman in the JFK assassination.
I’m also disinclined to believe administrative foul play was involved with this disciplinary decision being taken in a week the Spaniard kept a trinity of clean sheets during three LUFC league wins; consequently, stabilising the clubs promotion push after a shaky spell results wise…….. Ah, it appears that mischievous suitor Coincidence is up to her old tricks again!
In contemporary times, I barely pen of matters involving the game which’s been a main amours of mine throughout most of my life. Due to utter indifference about the game theses days, It’s very rare I watch football on TV, even LUFC games. or indeed visit their home ground Elland Road.
As I pen this paragraph, no doubt there’ll be a lacky at the FA, or the English Football League (EFL) watching the Leeds v Hull match, working on another trumped up unproven charge they can use to diminish LUFC coach Marcello Bielsa’s squad for the seasons conclusion.
Something ludicrous like 19 year old 6ft 6in replacement goalkeeper Illan Meslier breaching EFL height regulations……. Or the young Frenchmen receiving a suspension for gaining an advantage at corners by smelling of garlic……. Go on FA and EFL, you know you want to!!
