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FIFA , Blatter and their entirely legitimate business

stu neville

stu neville

Commissioner.
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So finally, someone's doing something about FIFA. Is it a case of waiting for ducks to be be in a row?

Auntie Beeb on what the Swiss are up to.
US prosecutors gave an astonishing amount of detail as they revealed their corruption investigation into football's governing body. Dramatic descriptions of corruption, graft and bribery by Fifa officials were offered to the world's media.

We know much less about the second investigation, launched by Switzerland.

It is not the Swiss way to stage dramatic press conferences while investigations are under way, or even to supply much information to the public at all - a habit that has been criticised in the past.

But we do know the Swiss enquiry is into Fifa itself, and more specifically into the way in which the 2018 and 2022 World Cups were awarded to Russia and Qatar...
Click to expand...
 
Fifa corruption scandal: Blatter and Ali vie for presidency

The 209 members of Fifa are to vote for their new president at a congress in Zurich, as football's world governing body faces a huge corruption scandal.
Sepp Blatter, the favourite, is seeking a fifth term. He is being challenged by Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan.
The vote comes two days after seven top officials were held in Zurich in a US fraud inquiry that indicted 14 people.
Mr Blatter faces calls to quit but says he is not responsible for the scandal and wants to combat corruption. :rolleyes:
...
Mr Blatter, in office for 17 years, enjoys strong support in Asia, the Americas and Africa and is thought likely to win another four-year term.
...
In opening the congress on Thursday, Mr Blatter addressed the issue of corruption, insisting it fell to him to "fix things".
But he distanced himself from the scandal, saying: "Many people hold me ultimately responsible for the... global football community... I cannot monitor everyone all of the time. If people want to do wrong they will also try to hide it."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-32925227

So, the pure-as-the-driven-snow Blatter, in office for 17 years, didn't know about the corruption? He either knew, or he's totally incompetent. (I actually heard the I-word used in this context on the radio this morning.) Plus, he's well past his sell-by date, but he tries to cling on to power like some tinpot African tyrant.

So good luck to the US fraud investigators, and to the Swiss investigation into the awarding of World Cup events.
 
The corruption crisis at Fifa continues to dominate the front pages, amid the football governing body's presidential election and talk of a World Cup boycott.

The Guardian describes how Fifa president Sepp Blatter appeared for the first time since the scandal broke, when seven senior Fifa officials were arrested at the Baur au Lac hotel in Zurich and seven more were charged in the US.
The paper says Mr Blatter appealed to the 209 member associations that will decide his immediate fate, in his opening address to Fifa's congress in Zurich.

The Sun, "Give me his head on a Blatter", and the Metro, "It's time to Sepp down", go down the pun route to get their message across.

The Independent says European football chief Michel Platini refused to rule out a boycott of future Fifa tournaments - which would include the 2018 World Cup in Russia - by Uefa's 54 member countries.
Sepp Blatter opened Fifa's congress in Zurich
The Independent continues: "Mr Platini's words raise the prospect of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland - all members of Uefa - pulling out of the tournament."

The Times says the crisis threatened to turn into a geopolitical stand-off as western politicians, led by David Cameron, lined up against Mr Blatter while Russia's President Putin offered him a notable show of support, condemning what he saw as a "blatant attempt" by the US to expand its global influence.

The Sun believes Mr Blatter's empire is crumbling - and international football could disintegrate with it.

In the Mirror's words: "Re-electing the fatcat of football today would would be a damning indictment of all those who back him when what Fifa needs is a new broom to sweep away the bribes, kickbacks and money laundering that stain the beautiful game."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-32925653
 
What a great man Sepp Blatter is, and the ideal candidate to lead FIFA through these troubled times. How anyone could hold him responsible for the allegedly corrupt behaviour of a few underlings is beyond me.

It's hard to find anything to add to the words of, Osiris Guzman, president of the Dominican Republic Football Federation, who has reportedly "compared the 79-year-old (Blatter) to Moses, Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill and Martin Luther King Jr as well as Jesus and Mandela"

http://www.foxsportsasia.com/football/world-cup/news/detail/item9809101/
 
You left out the irony tags:
[Irony]What a great man Sepp Blatter is, and the ideal candidate to lead FIFA through these troubled times. How anyone could hold him responsible for the allegedly corrupt behaviour of a few underlings is beyond me.[/Irony]
 
I may have done, but I fear he may be litigious. Therefore, my post may be unbelievable, but I don't think he'll be trawling this forum looking for obviously-sarcastic posts, so I'm probably safe from his legal team.
 
Listening to R4, I heard Mr Blatter make an intriguing philosophical observation about the nature of time during his election speech.
What is this notion of time? Time is infinite but we slice it up. I feel the time I have spent at Fifa is short.”
Click to expand...
I'm not sure time is infinite though. Surely when you divide infinity by a finite number, you still end up with infinity? Does that therefore mean it would be impossible to divide an infinite amount of time (or space) into discreet finite units? Thus proving that our Universe must be finite?
 
Sepp Blatter: Europe's 'hate' campaign against Fifa

Fifa president Sepp Blatter has condemned what he described as a "hate" campaign against football's world governing body by European officials.
And he said he was "shocked" by the comments of US prosecutors following the arrests of Fifa officials under an American anti-corruption warrant.

The 79-year-old Swiss was re-elected on Friday at a Fifa congress in Zurich.
European football governing body Uefa's president Michel Platini had urged Mr Blatter to step down ahead of the vote.
Mr Blatter's rival, Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan, forced a second round of voting on Friday but then withdrew. Mr Blatter won 133 to Prince Ali's 73 in the first round, just short of the 140 votes needed for an outright win.

On Wednesday, US prosecutors indicted 14 Fifa officials and associates, with seven arrested in a dawn raid at an upmarket hotel in Zurich. They are accused of bribery, racketeering and money-laundering involving tens of millions of dollars since 1991.
Meanwhile, Swiss authorities launched a separate criminal investigation into the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup tournaments to Russia and Qatar.

Spelling out details of the US case earlier this week, Attorney General Loretta Lynch said: "They corrupted the business of worldwide soccer to serve their interests and to enrich themselves."

Ahead of Mr Blatter's comments on Saturday, US tax official Richard Weber told the New York Times he was "fairly confident that we will have another round of indictments".

But in an uncompromising interview with Swiss television station RTS on Saturday, Mr Blatter said he suspected the arrests were an attempt to "interfere with the congress" at which he was re-elected. "I am not certain, but it doesn't smell good," he said.
He noted that the US had lost out in the bidding for the 2022 World Cup to Qatar while England, another major critic, had lost out to Russia for the right to hold the 2018 World Cup - and that the US was the "number-one sponsor" of the state of Jordan, the homeland of defeated challenger for the Fifa presidency.

etc...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-32941740
 
England will back European boycott of 2018 World Cup - Dyke

England would back a European boycott of the 2018 World Cup in protest at the re-election of Sepp Blatter as Fifa president, says Greg Dyke.
A boycott will be considered by European football's governing body Uefa when it meets next week in Berlin.
Football Association chairman Dyke said: "There's no point boycotting on our own, but if the rest of Europe decided to boycott we would join them."
He also said England would not bid to host the World Cup under Blatter.

The 79-year-old Swiss was on Friday re-elected for a fifth term as the head of football's world governing body despite seven Fifa officials being arrested by the US Justice Department over allegations of corruption.
Blatter himself has not been implicated.
"The truth is that he will not be able to sort out a fundamentally corrupt organisation, which is what Fifa is," Dyke claimed, "because he's been there too long.
"If you're the captain of the ship, and the ship is sinking, then if you can't get it back up, you should go.
"That's exactly what he should have done. He should have resigned this week."

Prince William, the president of the FA, speaking before Saturday's FA Cup final at Wembley, described this week's events as Fifa's "Salt Lake City moment", referring to the incident in 1998 when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) faced similar allegations.
"There seems to be a huge disconnect between the sense of fair play that guides those playing and supporting the game, and the allegations of corruption that have long lingered around the management of the sport internationally," he said.
"Fifa, like the IOC, must now show that it can represent the interests of fair play and put the sport first."

Fifa's executive committee ruled on Saturday that European nations could hold the 2026 tournament, opening the possibility of England bidding to stage the tournament 60 years after winning it as hosts for the first and only time.
However, the decision on who will host that World Cup will be made in May 2017, halfway through Blatter's four-year term of office.
Blatter had considered preventing any continent that held a World Cup from hosting the next two - which would have ruled out Europe after Russia 2018.
Fifa plans to stick with its current rotation system, by which no continent can host two successive World Cups.
It means that nations from any continent can bid for the 2026 tournament, except for Asian countries as Qatar will host the competition in 2022.

Fifa has also decided that Europe will retain its 13 places at the World Cup finals, which will continue to consist of 32 teams.

etc...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32943765
 
Football Association chairman Dyke said: "There's no point boycotting on our own, but if the rest of Europe decided to boycott we would join them."
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Well, those are pretty weaselly words. In a nutshell, we've no intention of growing a backbone unless everyone else grows one first.
 
True, but it really needs the support of UEFA for Blatter and co to take any notice. If UEFA decide to boycott the 2018 World Cup, that will prevent any European qualifiers from taking place, and I am pretty sure that Blatter would be thrown bodily out of FIFA if he refused to leave. It might come to that, as the man clearly has no scruples or a shred of decency.
 
Could British clubs refuse to release their world-class players for International matches?
I'd thought it was only convention that they allowed them to play while contracted.
 
Not sure about the legalities, but I think it would be counter-productive in terms of attracting the best talent. The aim, surely, is to persuade FIFA that Blatter is not the man to lead them to the promised land? The FA don't want to simply isolate English football.
 
I'm not suggesting it as a long-term position.
 
Peripart said:
Not sure about the legalities, but I think it would be counter-productive in terms of attracting the best talent. The aim, surely, is to persuade FIFA that Blatter is not the man to lead them to the promised land? The FA don't want to simply isolate English football.
Click to expand...

Well, now that Tony Blair has stepped down as Middle-East "Peace" Envoy....
 
Ex-FIFA Official Cites Satirical Article From The Onion in His Self-Defense

Jack Warner, a former vice president of world soccer’s governing body, FIFA, defended himself against corruption charges on Sunday by citing an article from The Onion, apparently unaware that it was satire.

Mr. Warner, 72, who was arrested last week in connection with a wide-ranging criminal investigation by the United States Justice Department, held up the faux news report, calling it evidence of an American conspiracy, in a video statement that was uploaded to the web and then removed later in the day.
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http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/01/w...ck-warner-cites-onion-article-in-defense.html
 
Yithian said:
He's gone!
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/32982449
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I thought you meant the video you posted ("Not available in your country") was gone, but no!

Fifa: Sepp Blatter to quit as president amid corruption scandal

Sepp Blatter says he will resign as president of football's governing body Fifa amid a corruption scandal.
In announcing his exit, the 79-year-old Swiss has called an extraordinary Fifa congress "as soon as possible" to elect a new president.
Blatter was re-elected last week, despite seven top Fifa officials being arrested two days before the vote as part of a US prosecution.
But he said: "My mandate does not appear to be supported by everybody."

etc...

RESULT!! :D
 
*starting the happy dancing*


*wave those pompoms*

:D
 
Wow... This years Grace of Monaco?

Review: FIFA Drama 'United Passions' Starring Gerard Depardieu, Sam Neill, And Tim Roth
Produced and largely financed by FIFA, no one should've been surprised that "United Passions" would largely act as an electronic press kit for the very wealthy non-profit soccer organization.

From the very early stages, the drama, which follows FIFA under the reign of three different people — Jules Rimet (Gerard Depardieu), Joao Havelange (Sam Neill), and Sepp Blatter (Tim Roth) — co-writer and director Frédéric Auburtin presents a completely phoney, idealistic version of the soccer federation that is shockingly tone deaf at just how insincerely it plays out, especially in the context of recent events.
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http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplayl...ard-depardieu-sam-neill-and-tim-roth-20150604

United Passions review – Fifa propaganda is pure cinematic excrement
1 / 5 stars
Two hours of wretched, self-congratulatury Fifa history is disastrous cinema, but valuable proof of corporate insanity. And Tim Roth as Sepp Blatter – why?

Even without the current headlines, United Passions is a disgrace. It’s less a movie than preposterous self-hagiography, more appropriate for Scientology or the Rev Sun Myung Moon. As cinema it is excrement. As proof of corporate insanity it is a valuable case study.
Click to expand...
http://www.theguardian.com/film/201...ns-review-tim-roth-sam-neill-gerard-depardieu
 
I think the FBI have to be applauded on this one. The whole thing's collapsing like a house of cards, everybody now trying to save their arse by ratting on everyone else.

If only they'd pursue bankers with the same vigour.
 
Fifa paid Irish to stop legal action over Thierry Henry handball
4 June 2015

Fifa paid the Football Association of Ireland 5m euros (£3.6m) to stop legal action after France controversially beat Ireland in a World Cup play-off.
FAI chief executive John Delaney said he had believed they had a case against Fifa after French striker Thierry Henry's handball in the 2009 match.
Delaney said a "legitimate agreement" was made to drop the claim after Ireland missed the 2010 World Cup.
Fifa president Sepp Blatter is quitting with the organisation in crisis.
Delaney's comments come after a turbulent nine days for football's world governing body amid claims of "systemic and deep-rooted" corruption.

etc...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-33011692

Is accepting a bribe any more righteous than offering one?
 
sherbetbizarre said:
Wow... This years Grace of Monaco?

Review: FIFA Drama 'United Passions' Starring Gerard Depardieu, Sam Neill, And Tim Roth

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplayl...ard-depardieu-sam-neill-and-tim-roth-20150604

United Passions review – Fifa propaganda is pure cinematic excrement
1 / 5 stars

http://www.theguardian.com/film/201...ns-review-tim-roth-sam-neill-gerard-depardieu
Click to expand...

I think it's the definite North Korea vibe that FIFA exuded until just recently that makes the irony of the timing of the release of this hagiography all the more satisfying. I grabbed my popcorn and have been plopped in front of the screen since Loretta Lynch's press conference. Who needs Gerard Depardieu?
 
I note that despite resigning, Blatter is still in charge of FIFA until a new president is elected. This means he could still be there at Christmas, assuming he's still a free man - and if he does somehow escape the attentions of the FBI for that long, what odds that he'll be persuaded by all his sycophantic mates to re-think his resignation?
 
Breaking news:
Fifa corruption: Swiss banks 'reported account suspicions'

Swiss banks reported suspicious activity around accounts of football's world governing body Fifa, says the Swiss attorney general.
Michael Lauber said his office was analysing a "huge amount" of seized Fifa data in its corruption inquiry.
He said he did not rule out interviews with Fifa president Sepp Blatter as part of his investigation.
The investigation could lead to the reopening of the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

Fifa is facing claims of widespread corruption after Swiss police raided a hotel in Zurich - where Fifa is based - and arrested seven of its top executives last month.
The seven were held at the request of the US department of justice, which has charged 14 current and former Fifa officials and associates on charges of "rampant, systemic, and deep-rooted" corruption.
The charges follow a major inquiry by the FBI.

Until now, much less has been revealed about the Swiss investigation than the inquiry being led by the FBI.
But if Swiss investigators do prove that bribes changed hands in the bidding contests, Russia and Qatar could lose their hosting rights to the 2018 and 2022 tournaments.
Mr Lauber told a news conference that his investigation was looking at 53 banking relationships reported by the Swiss financial intelligence unit.
"We are facing a complex investigation with many international implications. The prosecution is ongoing and will take time. The world of football needs to be patient - by its nature, this investigation will take more than the legendary '90 minutes'," he said

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-33163918
 
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