Friday, April 26, 2013
World Cup matches fixed in '34, '78
Soccer's biggest prize may have twice been won with the help of dictators fixing matches for the host team.
Argentina's triumph in 1978 and Italy's in 1934 were said to be influenced by military leaders seeking propaganda coups, delegates were told Thursday at a symposium titled "The Relevance and Impact of FIFA World Cups."
"It's the same old story: Sport and politics are brothers and sometimes sport is under the other brother," Italian writer Marco Impiglia told The Associated Press.
Impiglia presented a paper suggesting Benito Mussolini ensured favorable refereeing decisions, helping the Italian team win.
Raanan Rein, an Israeli professor of Latin American history, said he was "100 percent persuaded" that Argentina's military junta influenced a 6-0 win against Peru.
The match is a notorious chapter of World Cup lore and ensured Argentina advanced to the final instead of great rival Brazil.
Still, Rein and Impiglia said their claims lack documentary proof.
The four-day gathering of academics and historians is studying the political, social and economic impact on nations that have hosted the biggest and most-watched sports event since the World Cup was first played in Uruguay in 1930.
FIFA's choice of Brazil, Russia and Qatar -- three countries with growing economies and diplomatic influence -- as the next hosts from 2014 to 2022 suggests soccer and politics will continue to mix.
Argentina's triumph in 1978 and Italy's in 1934 were said to be influenced by military leaders seeking propaganda coups, delegates were told Thursday at a symposium titled "The Relevance and Impact of FIFA World Cups."
"It's the same old story: Sport and politics are brothers and sometimes sport is under the other brother," Italian writer Marco Impiglia told The Associated Press.
Impiglia presented a paper suggesting Benito Mussolini ensured favorable refereeing decisions, helping the Italian team win.
Raanan Rein, an Israeli professor of Latin American history, said he was "100 percent persuaded" that Argentina's military junta influenced a 6-0 win against Peru.
The match is a notorious chapter of World Cup lore and ensured Argentina advanced to the final instead of great rival Brazil.
Still, Rein and Impiglia said their claims lack documentary proof.
The four-day gathering of academics and historians is studying the political, social and economic impact on nations that have hosted the biggest and most-watched sports event since the World Cup was first played in Uruguay in 1930.
FIFA's choice of Brazil, Russia and Qatar -- three countries with growing economies and diplomatic influence -- as the next hosts from 2014 to 2022 suggests soccer and politics will continue to mix.
