FIFA in trouble FINALLY over Qatar World Cup bid

[Dameerto]

It's been a slow burner but it's picking up momentum - Blatter's downfall will be his arrogance.
He has believed until now that he is untouchable due to having enough block vote in his back pocket to get him elected at will, and that belief has led to him saying some bizarre things from time to time - his latest attempt to claim racism has backfired bigtime though, and has directly led to the president of the Dutch FA to call for him to step down from the future election after citing that and the taint of corruption as his reasons - he has a point when he says Blatter is the head of FIFA and he is responsible for what it has become.
Our own FA has had an ongoing feud with FIFA for quite a while to it's no surprise seeing Dyke trying to capitalise - the Dutch involvement is a new one to me though.
I think we're close to the tipping point where he can't survive, which I didn't expect to be saying at all - I was pretty much resigned to having to wait for the Grim Reaper to do us a favour.

[mcfc1632]

It's definitely starting.

Masquerading as the saviours of football, Gill, Platini are here to rid us of the demon blatter.

It's exactly as I imagined it as soon as Gill started to worm into uefa.

Sickening.

To be fair mate, Gill and Van Praag only said what needed to be said. Blatter has polluted the FIFA poison even more than it was and even under the current curcumstances he decides that he wants to be re-elected?

Under normal conditions, surely there would be no possible way that he would get the backing from the rest of the members but as we know these aren't normal conditions, these are Blatter's conditions. By the very fact that he has stated he wants to run again clearly says that he has already laid the groundwork to get re-elected and probably used every means to get there.

I'd prefer to see Blatter gone to be honest.

Fully agree - as all football loving and decent minded people must, but...............

at the risk of seeming paranoid I just wonder if all this is bringing into the light a carefully orchestrated plan by a number of self-serving people (the core of the ECA where the real power lies) to simply take over football.

We have seen a number from that cohort - including Gill - move into positions of influence/control with the timing convenient for changes at the top of football . Could there be a an agreed plan to install their puppet into Blatter's position whilst putting one of their own into the UeFA role - along with control of all the key functions?

Conspiracy theorist/paranoid? or could (perversely) Blatter, albeit IMO an amoral and corrupt narcissist, be a blocker to this group? - hence the concerted attacks to make sure that all the moves can happen to schedule in 2015.

[Beefymcfc]

It's definitely starting.

Masquerading as the saviours of football, Gill, Platini are here to rid us of the demon blatter.

It's exactly as I imagined it as soon as Gill started to worm into uefa.

Sickening.

To be fair mate, Gill and Van Praag only said what needed to be said. Blatter has polluted the FIFA poison even more than it was and even under the current curcumstances he decides that he wants to be re-elected?

Under normal conditions, surely there would be no possible way that he would get the backing from the rest of the members but as we know these aren't normal conditions, these are Blatter's conditions. By the very fact that he has stated he wants to run again clearly says that he has already laid the groundwork to get re-elected and probably used every means to get there.

I'd prefer to see Blatter gone to be honest.

Fully agree - as all football loving and decent minded people must, but...............

at the risk of seeming paranoid I just wonder if all this is bringing into the light a carefully orchestrated plan by a number of self-serving people (the core of the ECA where the real power lies) to simply take over football.

We have seen a number from that cohort - including Gill - move into positions of influence/control with the timing convenient for changes at the top of football . Could there be a an agreed plan to install their puppet into Blatter's position whilst putting one of their own into the UeFA role - along with control of all the key functions?

Conspiracy theorist/paranoid? or could (perversely) Blatter, albeit IMO an amoral and corrupt narcissist, be a blocker to this group? - hence the concerted attacks to make sure that all the moves can happen to schedule in 2015.

It's not paranoia mate, it's natural thinking. There's a reason that Gill went to UEFA and continued as a director with the Rags. The difference is, I don't think Platini is part of that little plan and it was the ECA (when I say ECA I really mean the G14) that forced Gill onto the UEFA board when it looked like clubs like us were going to escape punishment under FFP. It was no coincidence that we were getting assurances that we would pass the test only for the reading of the regulations to be changed after Gill is appointed.

I think Platini would happily walk away from his UEFA seat and into a different type politicing, where he doesn't have to deal with the full force of the ECA on a daily basis.

[Cocacolajojo1]

[youtube]DlJEt2KU33I[/youtube]

Hahahah, what a rip on FIFA .

Not only is it hilarious, it's a profound and investigative piece. How is it that traditional news media goes "oh people don't want traditional journalism anymore, they want to find out their own information nowadays" and then comedians like Colbert, Stewart and Oliver does news satire, employs a staff that does.... investigative journalism... and then writes a piece of it, and it's widely popular? These guys are not only popular with viewers, they are also racking in prizes during award season.

People want journalists to do their jobs. It's a fucking joke (pun intended) that American comedians seem to be the bastion of journalism these days. Don't get me wrong, this is a good piece, but why on earth is John Oliver the provider of it?

[Ted Hughes]

Being realistic, the only way Blatter & his cronies were/are ever going to be brought down, was by conflicting self interest between his mob & another football mob.

If the Gwhatever clubs were all happy that Blatter's corrupt actions suited them, they would just plead ignorance & let him get on with it, as they have so far. The only people who give a shit have been the occasional journo & disgruntled World Cup bidders.

Recently, he's got into conflict with the big European clubs by not sorting out the insurance, increasing the powers of international teams & also by threatening to fuck up everyone's seasons to get into step for Qatar in the winter. He has also pissed off the governments of several countries. They have a common cause to get rid & an opportunity for the cartel to build more influence.

The upside, however you look at it, is that governments & their agents are investigating this, & the eventual outcome must be a more transparent authority, whoever runs it.

[Wonderwall]

Being realistic, the only way Blatter & his cronies were/are ever going to be brought down, was by conflicting self interest between his mob & another football mob.

If the Gwhatever clubs were all happy that Blatter's corrupt actions suited them, they would just plead ignorance & let him get on with it, as they have so far. The only people who give a shit have been the occasional journo & disgruntled World Cup bidders.

Recently, he's got into conflict with the big European clubs by not sorting out the insurance, increasing the powers of international teams & also by threatening to fuck up everyone's seasons to get into step for Qatar in the winter. He has also pissed off the governments of several countries. They have a common cause to get rid & an opportunity for the cartel to build more influence.

The upside, however you look at it, is that governments & their agents are investigating this, & the eventual outcome must be a more transparent authority, whoever runs it.

Best thing Blatter ever did was get Qatar the WC. It will totally backfire on him, as this is the cause of most of the angst against him with the disruption it will cause plus the backhanded way it happened. IF he had chose the USA and then announced he was going to run for office again, he might well have got in again.

[nottsblue]

I hope FIFA don't get into trouble with the Antartica 2026 bid

[zuricity]

Being realistic, the only way Blatter & his cronies were/are ever going to be brought down, was by conflicting self interest between his mob & another football mob.

If the Gwhatever clubs were all happy that Blatter's corrupt actions suited them, they would just plead ignorance & let him get on with it, as they have so far. The only people who give a shit have been the occasional journo & disgruntled World Cup bidders.

Recently, he's got into conflict with the big European clubs by not sorting out the insurance, increasing the powers of international teams & also by threatening to fuck up everyone's seasons to get into step for Qatar in the winter. He has also pissed off the governments of several countries. They have a common cause to get rid & an opportunity for the cartel to build more influence.

The upside, however you look at it, is that governments & their agents are investigating this, & the eventual outcome must be a more transparent authority, whoever runs it.

Best thing Blatter ever did was get Qatar the WC. It will totally backfire on him, as this is the cause of most of the angst against him with the disruption it will cause plus the backhanded way it happened. IF he had chose the USA and then announced he was going to run for office again, he might well have got in again.

Before Blatter was re-elected last time, he publicly stated that it would be his last four year session. He gained a few sympathy votes with people thinking it would be his last stand. Within one year, of a new office , he started crapping on about not really being ready for retirement and would like to go on.

Listen , this guy is a sleazeball of the highest degree, he is dubious, deceitful and incredibly ignorant ( Swiss people can't stand the 'schlitzohr' either).

The discussion is wasted energy until Football Associations bin the sedentary , ignorant Walliser.

We all know that it's money that matters,

This guy has stashed so much away , he can't use it.
tomorrow night the whining little weasel will be there kicking off another waste of money.

"Mission is incomplete" is his latest crap. What mission ? milk the sacred cow till it's dry josef ?

This guy should have gone 12 years ago .

[lets all have a disco]

The guy is fucking crackers.


FIFA president Sepp Blatter has been in a bit of trouble a few times in the past, but that didn't stop him from announcing that he intends to run again for the FIFA presidency, even though he is already 78 and has served four terms. That's not the bit where it gets weird however, as at the FIFA congress in Sao Paulo earlier today, he suggested that planet Earth might not be the only venue for the game we know as football.

In his closing remarks to the audience gathered at the event, he spoke about how the world is united by the game, but also said "we should wonder if one day our game will be played on other planets. Why not? And then instead of a World Cup we would have an inter-planetary competition". We presume that would mean FIFA can really start making money, intergalactic style, without the constraints of our stupid earthling laws.

[Im_Spartacus]

Taken from today's guardian below - perfect explanation of just how much this guy has it all cleaned up with the votes of the developing nations due to ridiculous investment/bribery, meaning that of the 203 nations who can vote, blather has probably got all but the top nations sewn up, and that's why he knows he can go on forever.

"The probable fate of a “clean-up” rival put up by the European associations was signalled by Bernstein’s stand three years ago. His speech was met in icy silence, then followed by frothing anti-England speeches by delegates, including Ángel María Villar Llona of Spain and Julio Grondona of Argentina, and a sycophantic paean of praise for Blatter from Moucharafou Anjorin, the Benin FA president. Only 15 of the 203 football associations in that hall voted for Bernstein’s proposal.

Then 186 dutifully filed into booths and put a cross against Blatter’s name to re-elect him. There was some disquiet voiced by sponsors then, too, which came to little. Hopes for Fifa reform are not best invested in multinational corporations who burnish the image of their mostly unhealthy products by intimate association with the glamorous athleticism of football."

[Moonchesteri]

Best thing Blatter ever did was get Qatar the WC. It will totally backfire on him, as this is the cause of most of the angst against him with the disruption it will cause plus the backhanded way it happened. IF he had chose the USA and then announced he was going to run for office again, he might well have got in again.

I think the amount of $$$$$$$$$$$$$ in bribes blurred his vision back then

[JamieMCFC]

It just keeps getting better with this clown.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has proposed that managers be allowed to challenge referee decisions during games.

Blatter, speaking in Sao Paulo at FIFA's annual congress, suggested that bosses could be given two challenges per match.

He told delegates: "We could do something more on the field of play. Why don't we give team managers the possibility of two challenges for refereeing during the match?

"If the manager disagrees with a decision why should he not ask for an immediate TV review with the referee?"

Blatter has previously claimed that goal-line technology would be the only camera review of decisions he would support, but the Swiss appears to have changed his mind in suggesting a system that is already used in sports like American football, baseball and tennis.

Such a change to football's rules would require the backing of the International Football Association Board (IFAB), the game's lawmaker, and would take at least 18 months to ratify.

Blatter had earlier been forced to defend himself after his decision to seek re-election for a fifth term as FIFA president was roundly criticised by UEFA officials at a meeting on Tuesday.

http://www.espnfc.us/story/1874250/fifa ... s-per-game

[JamieMCFC]

Embattled FIFA president Sepp Blatter said world football's governing body was facing "important times" and must "carry the flame of honesty" as he delivered his opening address to its 64th congress in Rio on Wednesday.

Blatter, facing an increasing storm over the organisation's controversial decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar, did not confirm whether he intended to run for a fifth term as president.

Any such announcement is likely to be saved for his full presidential address later on Wednesday -- but he alluded to the possibility of trying for a further stint, saying FIFA needed "stable leadership to guide the way."

Last month, the 78-year-old said he wanted to stand for a fifth term -- a U-turn after he had previously said he would stand down when his current term ends next year.

On Wednesday, he addressed delegates from FIFA's 209 member nations hours after representatives of European football associations urged him to step aside rather than run again.

He told delegates of football's role as a force for good in the world -- and even suggested it could one day be played on other planets, with interplanetary cups competed for.

"These are important times for FIFA," he said. "The world is changing, and the game must change with it.

"It is our duty to keep soccer going forward but also to keep our governance and control bodies installed.

"Our duty is not only to develop the game, it is also to ensure the integrity of the game and protect the game, the game of the people. We shall be proud to see the impact of the game on our world.

"Football is not just a game, it is a multi-billion dollar business. I don't know if that is good or not. It creates controversial situations and then some difficulties. In this changing world, little is beyond the reach of politics and economics.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let's go together forward for the good of the game. We must carry the flame of honesty ... or we betray the true spirit of this game we love."

Blatter said FIFA's "basic values of discipline, respect and fair play could be brought in everywhere in the world, and then we would have realised our objective -- but our objective never finishes."

He said football is enjoyed "from north to west to east and south" and added: "We shall wonder if one day our game is played on other planets. Then one day we won't have the World Cup, we will have interplanetary contests."

On Tuesday, Blatter was condemned by English FA chief Greg Dyke, who hit out at his claim that racism was behind allegations of corruption over the awarding of the 2022 tournament to Qatar.

Dyke described those remarks as "offensive" and told reporters: "I said: 'I regard the comments you made yesterday about the allegations in the British media in which you described them as racist as totally unacceptable.'

"The allegations being made have nothing to do with racism -- they are allegations about corruption within FIFA. These allegations need to be properly investigated and properly answered.

"Mr Blatter, many of us are deeply troubled by your reaction to these allegations. It's time for FIFA to stop attacking the messenger and instead consider and understand the message."

http://www.espnfc.us/fifa-world-cup/sto ... of-honesty

[john68]

Sparty,

I am no fan of Blatter Mate but the preamble in your post was just pure conjecture. Do you have any idea why England and our FA have little support on the World's global football stage, nor have had since the 1960s, when Sir Stanley Rous was ousted from the top job at FiFA.

Have you asked yourself; why only now, are the English based media going for his throat in a concerted campaign against him. We have known about this corruption for many years.

Why the English based media correctly reported the vehemently negative reception Blatter recieved when meeting the European delegates but failed to report the applause Blatter got at almost all the other regional Associations.

Like it or lump it, whatever we in England or Europe may think and as corrupt as Blatter may be, he still retains the support of the majority.

[Im_Spartacus]

Sparty, I am no fan of Blatter Mate but the preamble in your post was just pure conjecture. Do you have any idea why England and our FA have little support on the World's global football stage, nor have had since the 1960s, when Sir Stanley Rous was ousted from the top job at FiFA. Have you asked yourself; why only now, are the English based media going for his throat in a concerted campaign against him. We have known about this corruption for many years. Why the English based media correctly reported the vehemently negative reception Blatter recieved when meeting the European delegates but failed to report the applause Blatter got at almost all the other regional Associations. Like it or lump it, whatever we in England or Europe may think and as corrupt as Blatter may be, he still retains the support of the majority.

There is a weight of evidence around the tactics of blatter over his time in charge relating to programs of FIFA investment into developing nations, in return for which, Blatter commands total loyalty from the voting heads of those countries FAs. This has been documented several times, but perhaps in most detail by Andrew Jenkins (I think that's his name) in his book, "Foul"

In contrast to the excellent points you make about the influence of the ECA on Uefa policy, the one association/one vote policy at FIFA whilst appearing to outwardly be as transparent and fair as it can be, becomes a massive breeding ground for corruption and vote buying when many of the lesser nations' loyalties can be bought through investment in their countries footballing infrastructure.

For that reason, Uefa members have a very small bloc of the votes so even if all of them got together and ganged up on Blatter in a vote, they would still only constitute around 25% of votes, nowhere near enough to knock him off his perch when the majority behave in the way reported by the guardian in the article above.

If I recall correctly, the same sort of thing happened with an earlier presidential election - a uefa member spoke up (I think in favour of Leonart johansen and claiming lack if transparency - it might even have been Jim Boyce) and was heckled off the stage by the entire African and concacaf contingent. The whole afternoon schedule was then amended to only allow those with effusive praise for Blatter to speak for the remainder of the day to suppress dissent to those in the media observing.

No conjecture involved, these are reported facts and is exactly how blatter holds on to his power.

Until people start to vote with their conscience rather than voting based on the threat of losing funding controlled by blatter, the mess will continue.

That's why blatter knows he is bomb proof - he even metioned it yesterday when talking about 'we have the budget for the next 4 years'

[Mikhail Chigorin]

I hope FIFA don't get into trouble with the Antartica 2026 bid

Their assets might get frozen.

[Ted Hughes]

Sparty, I am no fan of Blatter Mate but the preamble in your post was just pure conjecture. Do you have any idea why England and our FA have little support on the World's global football stage, nor have had since the 1960s, when Sir Stanley Rous was ousted from the top job at FiFA. Have you asked yourself; why only now, are the English based media going for his throat in a concerted campaign against him. We have known about this corruption for many years. Why the English based media correctly reported the vehemently negative reception Blatter recieved when meeting the European delegates but failed to report the applause Blatter got at almost all the other regional Associations. Like it or lump it, whatever we in England or Europe may think and as corrupt as Blatter may be, he still retains the support of the majority.

There is a weight of evidence around the tactics of blatter over his time in charge relating to programs of FIFA investment into developing nations, in return for which, Blatter commands total loyalty from the voting heads of those countries FAs. This has been documented several times, but perhaps in most detail by Andrew Jenkins (I think that's his name) in his book, "Foul"

In contrast to the excellent points you make about the influence of the ECA on Uefa policy, the one association/one vote policy at FIFA whilst appearing to outwardly be as transparent and fair as it can be, becomes a massive breeding ground for corruption and vote buying when many of the lesser nations' loyalties can be bought through investment in their countries footballing infrastructure.

For that reason, Uefa members have a very small bloc of the votes so even if all of them got together and ganged up on Blatter in a vote, they would still only constitute around 25% of votes, nowhere near enough to knock him off his perch when the majority behave in the way reported by the guardian in the article above.

If I recall correctly, the same sort of thing happened with an earlier presidential election - a uefa member spoke up (I think in favour of Leonart johansen and claiming lack if transparency - it might even have been Jim Boyce) and was heckled off the stage by the entire African and concacaf contingent. The whole afternoon schedule was then amended to only allow those with effusive praise for Blatter to speak for the remainder of the day to suppress dissent to those in the media observing.

No conjecture involved, these are reported facts and is exactly how blatter holds on to his power.

Until people start to vote with their conscience rather than voting based on the threat of losing funding controlled by blatter, the mess will continue.

That's why blatter knows he is bomb proof - he even metioned it yesterday when talking about 'we have the budget for the next 4 years'

The difference between the situation now, & in the past, is that he fucked over several governments at once, when the obviously corrupt bidding for two world cups was done at the same time. Since then, they have been after him. It's not just journos now, it's actual countries' law enforcement agencies (& no doubt any others which are useful) who are after him.

At the same time, the G14 are up in arms about his proposals for the future.

The stuff I've read over the last few days suggests that a few votes from Africa are unlikely to be enough. Especially if the blokes who do the voting all end up in prison somewhere.

[Im_Spartacus]

The difference between the situation now, & in the past, is that he fucked over several governments at once, when the obviously corrupt bidding for two world cups was done at the same time. Since then, they have been after him. It's not just journos now, it's actual countries' law enforcement agencies (& no doubt any others which are useful) who are after him. At the same time, the G14 are up in arms about his proposals for the future. The stuff I've read over the last few days suggests that a few votes from Africa are unlikely to be enough. Especially if the blokes who do the voting all end up in prison somewhere.

If he can be done for criminality and thrown in the slammer, that is, of course a very different thing to the vote for presidency. But if nobody can pin anything on him that sticks he will without doubt win the next election in exactly the same style as he always has, by buying off votes with promises of investment.

The voting system is inherently susceptible to the FIFA system where the President holds direct responsibility for a massive development budget (clearly a corporate governance issue) which will always be able to 'buy' his votes in deprived countries, and what's more, do it in a way that's totally legal.

Awarding a £100,000 grant to American Samoa for a sports complex seems like good for the game there, and pennies in the big scheme of things, but he only awards it if they guarantee their loyalty. So effectively he is using FIFAs own money to buy his votes, it costs him nothing. And American Samoa's vote is worth exactly the same as England, France, US etc - why bother with the issues of the big fish when you can Hoover up the votes of the smaller fish much more effectively?

If you get a chance to read the book I referred to above, it's well worth it, the sheer audacity of some of the stunts that have been pulled over his elections really take some believing in this day and age.

Take the development money away from him and he would be fucked. But FIFA have tried and failed in a motion, it was voted for, but guess what, he got his stooges to support the status quo and defeat the motion, so he still gets to allocate funds and this control the votes.

It fucking stinks, but that's the reality of it.

[Dameerto]

If it comes to a vote he will win - there's a reason no-one usually stands against him at elections. The pressure at the moment is aimed at getting him to drop out of the running (if not resign outright, which is highly unlikely). Individually the pressure from sponsors or the pressure from Europe wouldn't be enough and Blatter would ride the storm out, like he's done in the past, but if enough strands of pressure come together it might just be enough to bring him down. This is our best chance so far.

[Im_Spartacus]

Just on the subject of the demonstrations in Brazil, obviously the public are fucked off with the Government for all the excessive spending and corruption, which raises the question of whether FIFA have a responsibility to consider the hosts actual capacity to afford the World Cup AND pay for their basic obligations to their population, rather than just battering them relentlessly to fulfil FIFAs ever more ridiculous requirements

Clearly a utopian view, but this 'gift' for Brazil is really anything but when it comes to the public purse, just as it was in South Africa