At Least They Have Things In Perspective....

According to several news outlets, Arsenal midfielder Robert Pires has been hit with a £35,000 ($67,445) fine by the French Football Association for wearing a Puma shirt while on international duty, as France are sponsored by adidas. To put this fine in context, it is £28,000 more than the £7,000 Lazio (Rome) striker Paolo Di Canio was hit with when he gave a Nazi salute to fans following the Rome derby in January (see photo) and £33,000 more than Spain's manager Luis Aragones was fined for referring to France (and again, Arsenal) striker Thierry Henry as a "black shit."

Now, I'm not saying that football players and officials in different countries need to be bound by common rules or a multi-national governing body...oh wait, they are. It's called FIFA. So I guess there is a governing body.... Of course it functions kind of like the WBC, IBF and WBA do in "governing" boxing in the US, if you get my drift.

A Little History:

adidas was started As Dassler Brothers Athletic Show Company in Germany in 1924 by brothers Adi (Adolf) and Rudolf Dassler. In 1948, Rudy left to start Puma and the original company was renamed adidas. (Get it? ADI DASsler.) Funny that this huge fine involved these two companies, isn't it?

Photo © AFP