Emerson, a Brazil-born Qatar international, has just been banned by FIFA after it turned out that he represented Brazil at the 1999 South American U-20 tournament. Despite all the confusion surrounding the player’s passport and his real identity, Gavin Hamilton writes that “the Qatar FA made a huge mistake, punishable in FIFA statutes by a points deduction, by fielding Emerson in a World Cup qualifying match.”
That game was a 2-0 win over Iraq on March 26, a result decisive in helping Qatar to finish ahead of Iraq in Group One, and allowing the country to progress to the next round, “while the Iraqi team was broken up and coach Adnan Hamad sacked.” The very same team that had been globally acclaimed for winning the Asian Cup in 2007.
An Iraqi appeal to FIFA to have the result overturned was rejected because, according to the rules, too much time had elapsed for an appeal. Awarding the three points to Iraq would have sent them through at Qatar’s expense. “Of course,” Hamilton continues, “there has been no shortage of conspiracy theorists stepping forward to point out that the president of the Asian Football Confederation, Mohamed Bin Hammam, hails from Qatar and is one of Sepp Blatter’s most enthusiastic backers, even lending Blatter his private jet for use during the FIFA presidential election campaigns.” The very same Mr. Blatter who has criticized countries for fast-tracking naturalized Brazilians to improve the fortunes of their national sides.