FIFA corruption arrests

I have no problem with FIFA awarding the World Cup to places in which they want to grow the game. South Africa is an example. I do have a problem with lying, smug bullshit doubletalk, and ignoring human rights violations.

How that withered old windbag could actually sit there and say with a straight, angry face that "FIFA is not corrupt!", and also laugh about Ireland's outrage over Thierry Henry's handball that denied them a trip to a WC, and say defiantly that despite more and more harm to human life, that Qatar will not be stripped of the tournament...

It's disgusting. Disgraceful. And when the press wants to investigate FIFA, he waves his hand and says "We'll investigate ourselves, leave us alone."

Does he really think that once those that have been arrested start talking, his name won't come up? That the investigations will stay confined to CONCACAF and CONMEBOL? It'll lead back to him soon enough. And all the bribes and promises he's made to the smaller associations in Asia and Africa that inexplicably support him in election after election... It'll all come out.

I don't see how he can survive this in his current position, even if they laughably go ahead with the election on Friday. And I don't see how Qatar can keep the 2022 WC either.

 

FIFA and the IOC do something nearly impossible: they make the U.S. NCAA look virtuous by comparison.

 

Overall I'd have to agree that as far as immoral and corrupt sports organizations go FIFA does take the gold medal.

But the NCAA firmly in the silver medal slot and, if these developments cause FIFA to make drastic changes and they clean up their act some, the NCAA could make a push for the title because of the sheer level of exploitation of their "student" athletes they've risen to in the last few decades.

 

The issues with hosting rights isn't so much who is hosting them but the process of deciding them, and with a whiff of corruption/bribery to officials who decide this lies the problem. If there was no supsesion of bribery then there wouldn't be a problem.

 

We wouldn't win it even if it was the England team and 31 teams of under 9's girls......but it would still be an awesome month long carnival for the country

50 next year

 

UEFA want the FIFA presidential elections to be postponed

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32904317


Though perhaps they should go one step further and withdraw from FIFA and see if they can get CONCAF to go with them. They could then perhpas form a new body and invite the other associations to join them. Starting anew might not be a bad thing.

 

Fair comment. I think we'd both agree that the NCAA is rife with arrogance, hypocrisy and incompetence. However, we haven't seen the same kind of outright criminal conduct from them that we see from FIFA or the IOC. Remember there were plenty of charges filed around the Salt Lake City games and the awarding of the games to Sochi was bizarre, to say the least. That doesn't really make the NCAA 'virtuous' by any stretch of the imagination.

 

I agree with your assessment that the IOC and FIFA are far more criminal than the NCAA. But at least with those groups it's rich adults bribing other rich adults. Not that it makes it right.

The thing that makes the NCAA "special" is the sheer brazenness they exploit their student athletes, who are basically kids, and how much damn money the schools and the NCAA makes from their talents, especially in football and men's basketball, and the athletes get almost zip in return.

I used to be be firmly in the camp of "hell no they shouldn't get any compensation for playing sports. They already get a scholarship and other perks.

And if things were like they were 25 years ago I may still feel that way.

But the type of money the NCAA makes now from TV deals, advertising and merchandising is so staggering ridiculous and makes many middle aged white men, and a smaller group of other races and genders, so damn rich that it should seem illegal for these adults to profit from the work of kids who they can dispose of at any time.

I'll admit I add to the problem by watching my alma matter play basketball and football on TV or in person a lot and I have my fair share of school merchandise. It's like people on drugs I guess. Most of them know they're supporting a terrible group of people by doing them, but they just can't stop because they're hooked.

 

Off topic: some football and basketball coaches are outraged because a handful of players who have already completed their undergrad degrees can transfer for their senior year of eligibility without having to sit out a year. Bo Ryan of Wisconsin went on a rant recently about how players shouldn't be able to just go where ever they want. Never mind that coaches can go where ever they want. The NCAA is an asshole organization but it's made up of a lot of assholes. Anyway, enough of that...

Back on topic: it's going to be interested to see just how big Blatter's victory is in the Friday election. I suspect the process will have about the same credibility as Russia's last election.

 

Bo Ryan is one of the biggest assholes in all of sports. For only the second time in my life (the first being when they played Michigan for the title in the 90's) I actually cheered for Duke to win.

As much as I hate Duke and Mike Krlyzlelsfeskeli....It really wasn't going to change things much if Duke won. Duke is the premier program in the land and Coach K is a legend already.....winning another title wasn't going to add to either.

OTOH if that POS asshole Ryan finally won a title I would literally throw up that he could join the ranks of NCAA winning coaches and the Wisconsin fans would have more ammo to try and throw him up with Coach K, Roy Williams, Bill Self, Billy Donovan, Tom Izzo and even (gag) John Caliparli as an elite college coach.

Yeah Ryan is getting so screwed with seniors transferring. This is a guy who, because the schools can only offer scholarships a year at a time, can decide at any time, for any reason including injury, that a kid who believed he had his 4 years covered is off scholarship and off the team. Thanks for the games you helped win, sorry you got hurt. Good luck paying for the rest of your college and don't let the door smack you in the ass on your way out.

Bo Ryan.........puke.

 

Whether or not Blatter had any knowledge/invovlment in bribery/corruption at FIFA isn't the point. The fact that there has been suspicion of bribery and corruption for years makes his position as President of FIFA untenable, he has had years to clean up FIFA's image yet he has seemingly failed to do so.

The big sponsers have so far been rather measured in their response

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-32910235

 

No-one cares, at least no-one involved. Unless Blatter is charged, he'll stay in place. The sponsors will want visible rehabilitation of FIFA but are actively looking for ways to continue with their support whilst protecting their brand image. They'll only quit if things get much, much worse.

No-one with their nose in the trough wants to pass that up.

 

Yep, same goes for our politicans.

 

ABE!

 

And Africa think the sun shines out of his arse.

Large parts of the world (i.e. most of it except Europe and North America) see bribery and corruption as normal business practice, so can't see what all the fuss is about. If UEFA don't vote, Blatter will cruise into power again.

 

The cold hard fact about the World Cup, and the Olympics for that matter, is that, unless you're a country that has the facilities and infrastructure mostly already in place to host these events AND things like the stadiums can regularly host a sports team and other events after the WC is finished, hosting these events is one of the worst things a country can do financially. The countries like Brazil, who had to specially build many facilities most of which won't be utilized to their anywhere their full capacity in the future, might as well take billion of dollars in cash and have a big ass bonfire with it, because it's basically the same thing economically as hosting these events.

The US, UK, Germany, France etc.....can host a World Cup and basically break even because the stadiums, the supporting facilities and infrastructure to accommodate the teams and fans are already more or less and there and the country spends a rather modest amount. Also all those things continue to be used and generate money for long afterwards.

But for countries like South Africa, Brazil and Qatat....forget it as far as any financial gain goes. Sure some bars, restaurants, hotels and other businesses will see a spike in income.....for a whole month (and that's if the city hosts matches up to the finals. Other places are done in a few weeks). The truth is very little of the money outside of increases in business for a month or so stays in the country, most of the profits from the games go to SURPRISE!!!!! FIFA. What money stays in the country mostly lines the pockets of the football organization of that country, big business or the politicians and others who "helped" the country win the event.

The positive economic impact for 99% of the population is zero. In fact it can even cost citizens of poorer countries money in taxes and other revenue make it possible to host the Cup. At any rate the return on investment is terrible. If the World Cup was an individual "investment" and you pitched it to Warren Buffet or any other smart venture capitalist......they would probably pass out from laughter at the thought they would make any money off such a racket.

I think it's absolutely criminal that Brazil, a country that has social and economic issues that make Mexico look like Switzerland, has used it's resources to get the World Cup AND the Olympics in such a short time.

Even prosperous and well organized countries can run into major problems. The fact that Montreal, a modern city in a prosperous and generally well run country, ended up 1.5 billion in debt and it took 30 years to pay it off is the stuff of legend when it comes to what the Olympics can cost.

That fancy Bird's nest stadium in Bejing everyone went bonkers over....It's just sat there unused and rotting away since the Olympics left, as are a lot of the other beautiful facilities that Bejing built.

I don't remember which exactly but one or more of the Scandinavian countries has already said they have no intention of bidding on the Olympic Games for the indefinite future because the cost and return on investment is so ridiculous, and those countries aren't exactly what would be called poor.


As far as the country goes hosting these events is nothing more than buying a Rolex to show off to everyone. Only more and more the countries that are hosting these games are not the kind of people that can afford to buy a Rolex....yet they're doing it anyway so they can be the center of attention for a few weeks.

 

I think bribery and corruption are also normal business practice in the west

Perhaps but I still say there is a lot to be said for the opportunity to experience that carnival atmosphere in your own back garden (rather than simply watching in on TV taking place in some western country)

The beautiful game is worldwide and that needs to be reflected in the World Cup hosting. These kinds of huge events can be life affirming and life changing. The positives can be more than just financial