Football
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FIFPro urges FIFA to probe Club World Cup game

HOOFDDORP, Netherlands -- The international players' union wants FIFA to investigate why a Club World Cup match was played on a potentially dangerous rain-soaked field in Morocco.

FIFPro said letting the Cruz Azul-Western Sydney Wanderers quarterfinal match continue in Rabat on Saturday "posed a serious threat to the health and safety of all players."

The Mexican club won 3-1 in extra time with players splashing through large puddles.

FIFPro official Tijs Tummers said "players as workers have a right to a safe work environment," adding FIFA must ensure "effective rules are in place to prevent a repetition."

Referee Noumandiez Doue of Ivory Coast allowed the match to proceed, and Cruz Azul won.

FIFA then switched the semifinal match to Marrakech, citing difficult pitch conditions.

"Such a competition deserves the highest quality playing conditions, more so, the players as workers have a right to a safe work environment. Neither was the case, last Saturday. The players were involved in a match that did no justice to their qualities and aspirations. The conditions were simply dangerous. We are lucky that none of the players suffered a serious injury," Tummers said in the statement.

"Therefore, FIFPro calls on FIFA to clarify why the decision was made to continue this match in these conditions and to ensure that effective rules are in place to prevent a repetition of similar events."

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