FIFA has seriously cramped North Korea's style by ruling that selected striker Kim Myong-Won may only play as a goalkeeper in the World Cup. As a member of the Goalkeepers' Union, I mustn't annoy my shop steward by breaking solidarity, but this ruling does seem over the top. Here's how it went down:

FIFA said that each country will name 23 players, three of whom must be goalkeepers. North Korea, to try to get more options up front, named two goalkeepers and listed Kim as "third goalkeeper". FIFA turned around and said "that's fine, but you're only allowed one goalkeeper on the pitch at once, and if Kim plays, he's your goalkeeper-of-the-moment. Neither of your other two goalkeepers can be on the pitch when Kim is on the pitch."

Again, I don't want to anger up my union, we're all about protecting jobs, but mandating three goalies feels like one too many. The aim is to cover a team in case of two injuries or suspensions, but this isn't under 12s: it's the World Cup. If a team wants to go with two sets of gloves only, that's a risk the team should be allowed to take.

The NFL has the Emergency QB rule, but that's a bonus roster spot, not a penalty. Rugby requires that five players be dressed who can play in the front row, but nowhere is it written that only three can be on the pitch at once: you can start all five, even if there's only three front row positions.

Other than that, roster composition in serious sports is left up to the coach and GM. North Korea's been hard done by here. It won't really affect anything, the team is terrible, but it's an injustice nonetheless.