FIFA corruption

[seafoid]

Fresh Fifa crisis over Qatar's 2022 bid
Official confirms email saying emirate 'bought' World Cup
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/1a1607aa-8ac0-11e0-b2f1-00144feab49a.html

Bin Hammam suspended
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/2aaa1fee-89bb-11e0-beff-00144feab49a.html#axzz1Np0CTswP

Fifa opens way for Blatter re-election
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/981ab1ec-8a42-11e0-beff-00144feab49a.html#axzz1Np0CTswP

Fifa 's own goal has changed the game
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/981ab1ec-8a42-11e0-beff-00144feab49a.html#axzz1Np0CTswP

And then, in football news, Barcelona win a match

[CorkMan]

Aww no,really hope Blatter isn't re-elected.He is so arrogant.

[Denn Forever]

Doesn't he still stay as president if there is NO election?

[johnneycool]

Doesn't he still stay as president if there is NO election?

There's going to be an election with on one candidate, how does that work?

Will they actually go through the motions of voting or just say Blather is unopposed like a good old GAA club AGM?

[seafoid]

Blatter reminds me of Frank Murphy

[seafoid]

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/840e23a8-8b70-11e0-8c09-00144feab49a.html#ixzz1NwLryHJ3


Emirates and Visa add to Fifa pressure
By Roger Blitz in Zurich

Published: May 31 2011 12:35 | Last updated: May 31 2011 14:01

Two more World Cup sponsors have publicly voiced concern at the crisis in Fifa, as the English and Scottish Football Associations added to pressure on the sport's governing body by calling for the postponement of Wednesday's presidential election.

Emirates Airlines said it was "disappointed with the issues that are currently surrounding the administration of the sport" while Visa, a credit card company, said the "current situation is clearly not good for the game".



Its intervention follows similar statements by fellow sponsors Coca-Cola and Adidas. They called on Fifa to act swiftly to restore its damaged reputation in the face of the bribery allegations that have sparked an internecine struggle between the governing body's most powerful figures.

Emirates added: "We hope that these issues will be resolved as soon as possible and the outcome will be in the interest of the game and sport in general."

Visa called on Fifa to "take all necessary steps to resolve the concerns that have been raised".

There was no respite for Fifa, holding its annual Congress in Zurich where Sepp Blatter is due to be re-elected to a fourth presidential term.

The English FA issued a statement, saying Fifa should postpone the election to give the opportunity for "reforming" candidates to stand, and should also bring in an external party to assess its governance.

The Scottish FA said the election "should be rescheduled to facilitate a period of consultation to deal with the issues that have arisen in recent weeks" because the "events of the last two days, in particular, have made any election unworkable".

Mr Blatter is the only candidate following the withdrawal of Mohamed bin Hammam at the weekend in the face of bribery allegations surrounding his election campaign.

Mr Blatter said on Monday that there was no reason to postpone the vote of the 208-member Fifa Congress. Despite concerns from World Cup sponsors, Mr Blatter said there was no crisis at Fifa, only "some difficulties" which the governing body would resolve internally.

David Bernstein, English FA chairman, said the FA had earlier this month announced it planned to abstain at the election.

This was because of bribery allegations against four Fifa executive committee (Exco) members made in the UK parliament earlier this month relating to the 2018 and 2022 World Cups bidding process, and concerns over Fifa's lack of transparency and accountability.

Mr Bernstein said: "Events of the last few days have reinforced our views, and we call on Fifa and ask other national associations to support us with two initiatives.

"First, to postpone the election and give credibility to this process, so any alternative reforming candidate could have the opportunity to stand for president.

"Secondly, to appoint a genuinely independent external party to make recommendations regarding improved governance and compliance procedures and structures throughout the Fifa decision making processes for consideration by the full membership.

These measures were the minimum needed to improve confidence in Fifa at what was "a very damaging time" for the reputation of the governing body and football as a whole, Mr Bernstein said.

The Scottish FA made similar recommendations, citing that "the integrity and reputation of the game across the world is paramount".

The English and Scottish requests will almost certainly fall on deaf ears at Fifa, partly because the governing body views the English football authorities as sore at failing to secure the 2018 World Cup.

The FA compiled a report on the bribery allegations made by Lord Triesman, its former chairman, during a parliamentary inquiry into the state of football, and presented it to Fifa.

But Mr Blatter on Monday said there was nothing in the report to prompt Fifa to launch disciplinary proceedings against the named Exco members.

However, the FA report, drawn up by James Dingemans QC, was critical of the World Cup bidding process, Fifa's code of ethics and the lack of independence in enforcing its rules.

Mr bin Hammam and Jack Warner were suspended as Fifa Exco members over allegations of payments made at an election campaign meeting earlier in May to Caribbean football officials of $40,000 each in return for their votes. They deny the allegations.

Mr Warner retaliated by releasing an e-mail written by Jerome Valcke, Fifa secretary-general, in which he said Qatar had "bought" the 2022 World Cup.

Mr Valcke said he was merely referring to the financial strength behind the Gulf state's bid.

Mr bin Hammam is appealing against his suspension.

[Hoof Hearted]

Jim Boyce is about to become one of the most powerful men in World football. I just heard that on Sky Sports. Is this the same one who was in the Irish FA ?

[Blowitupref]

So the Qatar World cup axed & given to England?

[Capt Pat]

It has to go some place in Asia.

[seafoid]

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/3/37005782-8c49-11e0-b1c8-00144feab49a.html#ixzz1O27HPHS9


Fifa: the not-so-beautiful game
Published: June 1 2011 13:25 | Last updated: June 1 2011 13:25

I'm a football fan; get me out of here. That should be the best reaction to the re-election of Sepp Blatter as president of Fifa on Wednesday. He is not the man to reform the administration of world football, which has been fatally undermined by, among other things, the way Qatar was selected to host the 2022 World Cup. However, Mr Blatter's reappointment does not mean that reform will not – or should not – be imposed from outside. With Fifa's sponsors getting restless, the cause is not lost.

The first challenge for reformers is diagnosing Fifa's problems correctly. Strictly speaking, it is a hugely successful organisation: the World Cup is a triumphant event. With $1.2bn in the bank, Fifa is in a position to distribute largesse worldwide. In principle, there is nothing wrong with that: football is the most aspirational of sports.

Yet all of this is overshadowed by swirling allegations of corruption, which points to Fifa's real flaw – its structure and governance. The organisation's 208 national members have allowed Mr Blatter to accumulate far too much power in his office. He wields this power shamelessly and largely unaccountably. Recent events suggest that he has over-reached. Fifa's woes are a direct consequence of that.

Four of Fifa's six main sponsors – Coca-Cola, Adidas, Visa and Emirates Airlines – are fretting about the reputational cost of being associated with an organisation that is slowly imploding. Money talks, as the International Olympic Committee, the Tour de France, and Tiger Woods have found. Fifa's sponsors should join forces with those members seeking reform, and push Mr Blatter to appoint an outside board of directors. Its first task should be to find a successor for Mr Blatter with the integrity and character to safeguard the integrity of the world's most important sport.

[GalwayBayBoy]

[Evil Genius]

Jim Boyce is about to become one of the most powerful men in World football. I just heard that on Sky Sports.

Not quite; rather, he will get to share the same table as the most powerful men in World football.

Since bailing FIFA out of bankruptcy in 1947(?), the four British Associations have had the permanent right to elect a FIFA "Vice President" from amongst their own ranks.

However, whilst such a position was then very influential, as I understand it, its influence has been somewhat diluted since then.

For not only is the UK rep only one of 8 VP's, but real power within FIFA resides with the Executive Committee, which consists of the President (Blatter), the 8 VP's and 15 other Members appointed by their respective Confederations etc.

Therefore Jim will only be one of 24 and as we've seen all too often recently, the voice of the British VP is often a lone one. Therefore I don't expect Boyce to get appointed to any of the more important (or cushy) sub-committees etc!

Is this the same one who was in the Irish FA ?

Yep, one and the same. The four British Associations are meant to rotate the position every four years; afaik, it was the IFA's turn last time around, but Boyce was edged out by England and Scotland, partly because they wanted their own man at the top table, and partly (I suspect) because he's a buffoon.

I imagine they couldn't deny the IFA again, so Jim finally got the gig.  As for how well he'll do, on the basis that he's also well-meaning and honest, I don't expect him to get anywhere...

[stew]

FIFA is an absolute mess, worse tha the English FA could ever be:

FIFA's senior vice-president, Julio Grondona, has accused England of "always complaining" and said he voted for Qatar for 2022 because "a vote for the US would be like a vote for England".


GettyImages
Julio Grondona would only vote for England if the Falkland Islands were handed over
• John Brewin: Reform the only way
• Sponsors could force change
• Bernstein: FA took stand on principle
• DFB call for 2022 vote probe
• Grondona makes doping test admission

Reports had been published in the English press accusing FIFA of corruption ahead of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup votes, and former FA chairman Lord Triesman made a series of accusations against four FIFA executive members last month.

Current FA chairman David Bernstein has most recently led a bid to delay the FIFA presidential elections in which Sepp Blatter stands unopposed in the wake of the current crisis.

Grondona, president of the Argentinian FA and head of FIFA's finance committee, said: "We always have attacks from England which are mostly lies with the support of journalism which is more busy lying than telling the truth. This upsets and disturbs the FIFA family.

"To present such a project as David Bernstein presented is like shooting a penalty because it cannot be always from the same place that the insults and problems come from.

"I see it at every Congress. They have specific privileges with four countries having one vice-president. I don't know what our president has said, but we have seen the World Cup go around the world, to South America and Africa and it looks like this country does not like it.

"It looks like England is always complaining so please I say will you leave the FIFA family alone, and when you speak, speak with truth."

In an interview with a German press agency on Tuesday, Grondona called England "pirates" and added: "Yes, I voted for Qatar, because a vote for the US would be like a vote for England, and that is not possible.

"But with the English bid I said: Let us be brief. If you give back the Falkland Islands, which belong to us, you will get my vote. They then became sad and left."

[Groucho]

[paco]

Apparently moving the World Cup from Summer to Winter isn't the only large-scale change being planned by FIFA:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2011/jul/07/qatar-world-cup-three-halves