by Jeremiah Allen
So FIFA are going to hold a massive probe into the sickening violent scenes at the end of Turkey's play-off loss to the Swiss.
Rightly so, but shouldn't they have done this six years ago when players representing the Republic of Ireland national team were subjected to similar physical abuse. I wouldn't mind only Turkey actually booked their place in Euro 2000 at the expense of Mick McCarthy's side that night but they choose to celebrate by attacking several Irish players on the pitch.
I was confident at the time that either UEFA or FIFA would step in and make an example of these thugs. However, the Turkish FA received a paltry fine and the incident was soon forgotten.
My anger at their lack of punishment prompted me into action and I wrote a letter of disgust to football's world governing body.
Now, if they are so concerned about the 'image of the game', why didn't they even bother to reply to someone who supports the game so passionately? Enough on that but surely what happened in Bursa that night is no different to Turkey's latest behaviour.
The difference is that Switzerland has made FIFA stand up and take notice much more than Ireland could ever do: "I can tell you this, not as a Swiss but as president of Fifa, that we will act and we will act tough," said FIFA President Sepp Blatter.
"This was anti-fair play. The Turks had the chance to act as a good host and show that a revenge foul is not done in football. The catalogue of sanctions extends from a simple warning to suspension of the federation, which could mean exclusion from the next international event.
"exclusion from the next international event"- they should have been thrown out of Euro 2000 and last night would never have happened.