Let's not beat around the bush!
It has been well known for more than 25 years (& sadly tolerated) that many (but certainly
not all) of the FIFA Executive Committee members who amongst other matters, decide the allocation of the hosting rights for the FIFA World Cup (including 2018 & 2022) are corrupt!
From the notorious Jack Warner (on the right above next to FIFA President Sepp Blatter) to the three African & South American Executive members exposed by the credible BBC Panorama investigative program in the photo below, and probably some of the others who have escaped being exposed.
FIFA executives Ricardo Teixeira (l), Issa Hayatou and Nicolas Leoz (r) have been exposed & accused of receiving around $US100 million in bribes!But what is even more tragic is the fact that Sepp Blatter & the rest of the Executive Committee members such as the much respected former players such as Franz Beckenbauer & UEFA President Michel Platini continue to remain opaquely quiet about the now well known corrupt aspects of FIFA operations.
As if the wining & dining & jet setting life styles of FIFA Executive Committee members is not a clear proof of why the "FIFA Brotherhood" sticks together, nobody even knows how much these people including Sepp Blatter get paid for being FIFA Executives! Except that high 6-7 figure sums are most probably correct!
All that is known is that FIFA earned broadcasting and commercial revenues of around $3.4 billion in its four year financial cycle leading up to the tournament in South Africa. FIFA's profits are scheduled to be announced in March when its annual financial report is published.
These greedy characters ed by Blatter have got so comfortable in their cushy corrupt roles that the good of the game does not even make it to their Executive Committee discussions!
Therefore, we have a money tainted & ultimately corrupt situation where for example:
Video refereeing & most other forms of technology are dismissed out of hand (Is it for the fear of being filmed whilst receiving bribes one should ask!!!)
As a result of lack of technological assistance, a "preferred" team like France is allowed to shamefully cheat its way to qualification for the 2010 World Cup at the expense of a weaker footballing nation (Ireland)
Highly overpaid players are allowed to continue to taint the "beautiful game" with their shameful Hollywood style cheating
But worst of all, the money has resulted in allocation of 2022 World Cup hosting rights to the sparsely populated but rich nation of Qatar where the average summer temperature is 50C & alcohol consumption outdoors & in almost all non luxury public places is banned
FIFA & Blatter claim they are taking the game to places away from the European & South American power base of football & as a result most allegations of corruption, incompetence, cronyism (as portrayed in this humble blog post) etc are simply sore grapes.
But whilst sitting in their 5 star air conditioned hotels sipping vintage champagne, FIFA Executive forget the "Beautiful Game" belongs to the working classes & the poor disadvantaged around the world! Just imagine the following situations:
No reconditioning in 50C heat outdoors in Qatar (most fans traditionally spill into the streets outside pubs singing & drinking before matches start)
In Qatar where no alcoholic drinks are allowed in most public places, fans are expected to cool down in 50C heat on soft drinks (of course not if you are a FIFA Executive in your pleasantly air conditioned 5 star hotel lobby bar where you can freely sip on your fine champagne!)
And even forget about the European style chanting/singing or the African dancing or South American samba! music is not favoured in Qatar (again unless you are listening to the pleasant "Lift Music" at your 5 star lobby bar!)
Meanwhile Club sides who pay the extortionist wages of the stars are forced to send their season tired players to the 50C heat of Qatar & cheerfully have the exhausted dehydrated players back for the start of the winter season in most countries! The past few world cups have witnessed tired & injured players arriving from their heavy sseason long
So, Blatter & co expect the fans & clubs alike not to question anything about transparency of the billion dollar a year FIFA operations, blindly trust FIFA, melt under the 50C heat of Qatar sun whilst drinking water & just wave at the FIFA Executive private jets & limousines carrying FIFA executives inside who are laughing all the way to the bank whilst sipping champagne!
Enough is enough! Thanks but no thanks Blatter & FIFA! Something has to be done & more transparency & better corporate governance must be introduced to the FIFA operations.
And as for Sepp Blatter, it's worthwhile to remember that fish rots from its head! Removing the rotting head early may save the rest of the fish from going fully off!
Removing the head early can prevent the rest of the fish going bad!
