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Well, Russia, for all of its problems, is capable of hosting the tournament on a level that Qatar just isn't. It has built stadiums, a footballing tradition, and you can conceivably forsee the country having transport and other infrastructure issues sorted in the next four years. So the media and such just don't care as much.
I get the why. I just think it's funny.Quote:
Originally Posted by NeverFeltBetter
Oz only got one vote to host the WC which I believe was the lowest score. It knocked them for six when they didn't get it, as they don't cope with failure easily. Oz could host it without having to completely rebuild infrastructure, though it would encourage their arrogance which makes English arrogance at sporting success seem mild.Quote:
Originally Posted by BonnieShels
I think Australia might just have a right to be bit haughty in this specific circumstance. Their bid receiving just one vote was criminal (quite literally, perhaps).
More likely it was exact opposite of criminal.Quote:
Originally Posted by NeverFeltBetter
Australia is a reasonably logical choice of host at some stage though.
There is always the PlatiniFudge™ option of spreading the World Cup out into 6-7 countries like he’s doing for Euro 2020. It could seriously irritate the fans and the teams, but it was Michel's brainwave for solving Euro 2020 after he's messed around with Turkey in the Euro 2016 bidding.Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin
Interesting that Platini voted for the Qatar bid (remind me who his son works for again?) and Blatter, for all his faults, apparently didn't.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NeverFeltBetter
It's beyond logical. Maybe too logical. It's defintiely a World Cup I'd like to hit up too. For all their faults the Ozzies do sport really well.Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
There was barely a peep about that. After the bid was won there were murmurings and then not a lot.Quote:
Originally Posted by cfdh_edmundo
Is it any wonder PSG won't get kicked out of the CL.
I wondered why there was not the usual carry on in Oz by the FFA ( we was robbed!) when news of these new allegations arose. I think every nation who bid are up to their eyes in crap and this could be a very interesting inquiry.
http://www.theage.com.au/fifa-world-...602-39eum.html
Report/probe will be published after the World Cup: http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/world...eport-to-come/
http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/world...uption-proven/
A lot of officials seem to be lining up behind a revote option. Flying kites and all that.
Hm. On the one hand, I reckon FIFA may possibly be happy to get a way out of this. On the other hand, it would be quite the precedent to re-run an entire World Cup vote because of corruption, something I'm sure has never tainted FIFA at all in the past. Gonna be interesting to keep an eye on this.
Well the good thing is that the other World Cups have happened so they ain't re-running those votes. I think they'll draw a line in the sand and run a re-vote. Platini is backing a re-vote now.Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
Thing is the report now HAS to show that there was corruption because no other result is gonna be acceptable at this stage.
Was talking about future World Cups!
England lose again, but it's ok - the Daily Mail has found evidence that a few quid was handed over by the winning Sierra Leonese contingent. Re-vote! Precedent! Rabble rabble rabble.
Repeat ad nauseum.
Sorry, I was getting at the fact that they won't look into the corruption of past votes. Which no doubt there was.Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
No doubt alright.
I think most people know how the game is played. Tbh it doesn't really bother me that much in general. Obviously stuff like whether 45 degree heat is suitable for a World Cup is a different matter.
Sony, Visa and Adidas backing a full investigation.
This is gaining legs.
That's a pretty big deal right? Sponsors speaking out isn't something that usually happens. Though this gives me pause:
Promises to be a quagmire.Quote:
Both fans and sponsors would be likely to cheer a switch to a different venue, although Qatar would be certain to mount a legal challenge to keep the competition.
Edit: Or maybe not: http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/f...t-9507194.html
Sponsors do speak out when they have legitimate moral objections too, but I don't think this is one. I think it's a response to the controversy and the fact they think it could reflect badly on them and their investment.Quote:
Originally Posted by NeverFeltBetter
Qatar will have no legal recourse to FIFA
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/f...t-9507194.html
Qatar 2022: Sepp Blatter says corruption claims are racist
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27762435
The start of the whitewash begins?
Moronic stuff from him, probably just playing to the crowd he was in front of. Blatter will follow the herd if it comes to it, and the African FA's will follow Blatter.
I'm not sure how big a deal this is, but: http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/7262...medium=twitter
English FA man David Gill has apparently said the same. Strange coordination.
Interesting.
There was an article in When Saturday Comes last month about an American who ran for President of FIFA a few years back. He withdrew in the end after not getting anyone to nominate him. He said he felt he'd have gotten lots of votes (secret ballot), but could get no-one to openly nominate him. Blatter has football absolutely by the short and curlies (which in a way, you really have to admire). But there's a crack or two showing lately.
CAF especially seems to be just in thrall of him. I assume that has a lot to do with development funds (and maybe the threat of more thorough investigations into its FA's).
Exactly. FIFA does excellent work spreading guaranteed funds to every last corner of the football world, but as you can guess a lot of it is trapped by bureaucrats and all of those bureaucrats are very grateful to Sepp Blatter for ensuring the money arrives at their federation and no questions are asked about how it's used.Quote:
Originally Posted by NeverFeltBetter
And then you have Cameroon refusing to get on a plane to the World Cup till they get paid of course.
This is my favourite piece of punditry so far:Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/27679577Quote:
Originally Posted by Robbie Savage
That remark by Blatter in itself should be reason to resign. Essentially he is belittling efforts at eradicating racism in football by attributing genuine concerns about corruption to racism.
Let's be clear here: it was a FIFA themselves who found Mohammed Bin Hamman guilty of bribery and expelled him. Now when the rest of the world says he was more corrupt than originally thought we're all racists?
Have I just heard Greg Dyke right? Some African nations are saying Blatter is corrupt. That's one thing, but it's the British media leading the claim.
So, the British media holds more clout than whole African countries? Is that not racist? Dyke might as well have inserted "tinpot" before the word African.
Anyway, it seems something is stirring here. A Berlin Wall or Ceaucescu moment?
The British media angle is because Blatter and the CAF brought it up, no? The British media is a familiar villain for them, being as it actually questions them rather than just telling them they're amazing.
Sorry, my point was that Greg Dyke just said on SSN said that some African nations were complaining but the fact that British media are complaining is more important.
Listen to the way Dyke said it. It was almost is if he was saying "look, although some Mickey Mouse African countries think he should go, it's more important that some UK media think he should go". I'm surprised that a successful guy like Dyke is so lacking in conviction in front of a microphone.
I didn't see Dyke's interview so I can't comment, but as far as I know all the African countries are behind Blatter. The recent controversy is because the CAF is accusing the British media of racism since the Sunday Times posted documents alleging the African unions were very well-disposed to Qatar's bid and money may have changed hands.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
Reminds me of Blatter's reelection in 2011, when a whole load of nations lined up to criticise the English FA for trying to postpone the vote, including DRC Congo and Benin of the CAF: http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/13610973Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin
Quote:
Originally Posted by NeverFeltBetter
That link brought up some decent stories from 2011. Nothing new to any of who have been following the story since the crackers award.
German Federation [president] asks Fifa for inquiry into Qatar 2022
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/13613314
Bin Hammam denied access to Fifa congress
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/13590264
Fifa: Valcke denies Jack Warner's 2022 'bought' claim
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/13592684
Two things:
First, Franz Beckenbauer refusing to cooperate with investigations into the Qatar voting process, and has gotten a figurative slap on the wrist over that: http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/europ...-days-by-fifa/
I suppose he might just consider the inquiry insulting, but its certainly not helping perceptions of corruption.
Secondly, there's this from Blatter: http://www.theguardian.com/football/...-managers-fifa
Not seeking a debate on video tech, but just noting the timing. I think Blatter's losing control rapidly, and this is an attempt to appeal to certain elements within FIFA to get behind him.
Not a great few months for the board of Bayern, the Kaiser's got a ban, Rumenigge's had to confess to his free rolex and Hoeness is doing time inside.
He's losing control of UEFA, but they never really backed him anyway. He still has 6 of the 7 confederations behind him.Quote:
Originally Posted by NeverFeltBetter
Murky days ahead for FIFA when the clean up group, the UEFA based associations, are embedded in the Qatar corrupted bid.Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin
Nine out of the ten UEFA based executive votes came from Platini and his UEFA mates, Blatter voted for Australia.
Now Platini say he will support a revote should Qatar be found to have corrupted their bid with bribes, and Platini says he will still vote for Qatar in the new vote.
Platini endorses corruption shocker!
Where else in Europe would you find such a blatant endorsement of proven corruption? And him and UEFA executive members will still vote to have the WC finals played in the searing heat of a Gulf State, knowing that those Finals cannot be moved to winter.
Can we read anything into Sepp coming out in favour of video replays?
It's a reasonably sudden about-face I think; FIFA have always opposed video technology. I wonder is he feeling under pressure and looking to curry whatever favour is going? Or am I off reading too much into things again?
I mentioned that above - I think he's absolutely making some kind of support-inducing pivot, even if its just aimed at the fanbase (and in that case, its misaimed).