I don't think Garcia is a saint. Private Eye says he has been challenging FIFA over burying his report because the FBI has started investigating and he's trying to protect his own reputation (see wiki on Michael Garcia). So maybe making a noisy public protest and flouncing out was the quickest and safest way for him to distance himself before the fewmets hit the windmill back in the USA.
To understand the shenanigans inside FIFA, we must try to understand how differently people in other parts of the world see things from us. For example, the Uruguayan President accused FIFA, Europe and especially the despicable English, of "fascism" for hounding/banning Hungry Suarez. In much of the developing world, Blatter is probably still projected as some kind of genial uncle figure and the nasty English/UEFA are the villains who will stoop to any outrage to snipe at him.
I'm sure Garcia has a few skeletons in his closet but compared to the likes of Blatter and the so-called 'Ethics Committee' Al Capone looks like a Saint!
Fifa World Cup corruption report: Blatter influence will be decisive
Fifa will decide whether to release its World Cup corruption report within the next few hours - with president Sepp Blatter holding the key to the outcome.
A number of Fifa executives want the entire 430-page report published, but Blatter may limit who is able to vote on the decision to release it.
Only a summary has been released so far, angering author Michael Garcia, who claims parts of it are "erroneous".
Leading members of football's governing body are currently meeting in Morocco.
Blatter has suggested in the past that only those executives who decided, back in December 2010, to award the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar respectively should be able to vote.
Sources close to the Fifa president believe that, as of Thursday night, he was still undecided about what to do.
Fifa's executive committee consisted of 22 members in December 2010 but of those original 22, only 13 still remain.
It means that 12 members of Fifa's committee, which now consists of 25 people, plus two co-opted members, would not be eligible to vote.
Friday's meeting in Marrakesh is expected to conclude around 1200 GMT. Blatter will then speak to the media from around 1300 GMT.
Garcia, an American lawyer, heaped further pressure on Fifa in the run up to this week's two-day meeting in Morocco by resigning as its independent ethics investigator.
He claimed the summary of his two-year investigation into allegations of corruption was "incomplete and erroneous".
Asked if Garcia's resignation was a new low for world football's governing body, Fifa vice-president Jim Boyce, from Northern Ireland, responded: "I don't think there's any doubt about that."
Britain's most senior football official said he has always thought "as much of this report as is legally possible should be put in the public domain".
He added: "Until that is done, it's not going to go away. If people have nothing to hide, why are they afraid of something being issued?"
I don't think Garcia is a saint. Private Eye says he has been challenging FIFA over burying his report because the FBI has started investigating and he's trying to protect his own reputation (see wiki on Michael Garcia). So maybe making a noisy public protest and flouncing out was the quickest and safest way for him to distance himself before the fewmets hit the windmill back in the USA.
To understand the shenanigans inside FIFA, we must try to understand how differently people in other parts of the world see things from us. For example, the Uruguayan President accused FIFA, Europe and especially the despicable English, of "fascism" for hounding/banning Hungry Suarez. In much of the developing world, Blatter is probably still projected as some kind of genial uncle figure and the nasty English/UEFA are the villains who will stoop to any outrage to snipe at him.
That's how the Englishman is played in the film about FIFA and blatter.
I guess this is positive, but I personally can't get excited about news like this unless someone releases information against the wishes of the FIFA exec. I can't help but think there's just more legal wriggling going on. In other words, will Blatter fall as a result of this? I doubt it.
IMO, FIFA won't have a chance of being clean until Blatter and the entire old guard just fuck the fuck off.
I guess we will have to see what Garcia has to say when the report is finally released. If he still feels there are errors and omissions then it will be clear that FIFA is still covering up, which I strongly suspect will be the case.
Are any of the bookies offering odds on how many of the 430 pages actually make it into the "legally possible" version? Any bets on 40 or so (as in the Eckert summary)?
I like the phrase "legally possible". It deserves to enter the language on a par with "economical with the truth", e.g:
"The Charlton Lifers* watched Rachel Riley on Countdown and wondered if it would be [NOT LEGALLY POSSIBLE] her with [NOT LEGALLY POSSIBLE] and [NOT LEGALLY POSSIBLE] or a [NOT LEGALLY POSSIBLE].
If they had refused to release that report then UEFA would have been within their rights to hold a discussion and vote about leaving FIFA. On a different note Garcia is playing a smart game and can easily release a copy of his findings to the FBI - the US are really quite keen on extradition for corruption wherever it occurs and if they want to infuriate Putin then the world cup award is an interesting place to start. Alternatively Garcia could leak the doc into the public domain but that's his last move in the game so I don't see that happening just yet. No, what he appears to be doing is threatening this type of activity... Let's see where it goes next.
I am heartily sick of FIFA and the organisation under Sepp Blatter. Sepp Blater runs FIFA like he is an Emperor in the Roman Empire. The redacted report is sure to be a farce.
I'm not sure I trust slippery Platini any more than I trust serpentine Blatter. "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss" .... will we get fooled again?
What's the chances that Garcia is totally in their pockets and this little charade is being played out to pull the wool over peoples' eyes? So Garcia writes his report which is allegedly sensational, FIFA look at it originally and say it's not appropriate to release the report, setting people off talking about it containing evidence of corruption. Meanwhile, Garcia and FIFA know that all it contains is a load of old shite about tiny inconsequential things, that don't implicate Blatter or any of his cronies. Later down the line, FIFA 'bow to pressure' and release this report that completely exonerates them of any wrongdoing.
What's the chances that Garcia is totally in their pockets and this little charade is being played out to pull the wool over peoples' eyes? So Garcia writes his report which is allegedly sensational, FIFA look at it originally and say it's not appropriate to release the report, setting people off talking about it containing evidence of corruption. Meanwhile, Garcia and FIFA know that all it contains is a load of old shite about tiny inconsequential things, that don't implicate Blatter or any of his cronies. Later down the line, FIFA 'bow to pressure' and release this report that completely exonerates them of any wrongdoing.
Classic political machination.
Could be, but I think Garcia is trying to pull away from the machinations of FIFA due to his concern that he may be pursued by the FBI at some stage.
Qatar 2022: Fifa taskforce says November/December is only option
The 2022 World Cup in Qatar can only be held in November and December, says the head of Fifa's taskforce looking into possible dates for the tournament. Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa has ruled out a May tournament - the European leagues' preferred option. Qatar's bid proposed a summer tournament, but temperatures in the Gulf state are believed to pose a potential risk to players' health. A January/February tournament would clash with the 2022 Winter Olympics. "All parties have to compromise, not just the Europeans," Sheikh Salman said. The proposal raises the prospect of a stand-off between the game's governing bodies and European clubs over domestic schedules and player availability for the tournament. However, Uefa president Michel Platini has already said it will be a winter tournament and "that it's not possible to play in May when it's 40 degrees". Sheikh Salman, president of the Asian Football Confederation, said there were two winter options - January/February or November/December - but cited a clash between January 2022 and the Winter Olympics as undesirable. "We don't want it to collide during that period," he said. "Stakeholders are concerned about playing in the summer, so we have to change to winter. That's January or November. They have to make a choice - either a) or b). "But I think everybody agrees that in January or February it's difficult to play for the reasons that I mentioned before [Winter Olympics clash]. "The only option that I see is November/December." However, a winter World Cup would also be problematic - not only for European league schedules, but for the Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled for January 2023 in Guinea. Sheikh Salman said he hoped his proposal was "a done deal" and was hopeful a recommendation would be made at Tuesday's taskforce meeting in Doha. The tournament date will then be put to Fifa's executive committee for final approval in March. "Hopefully we can settle this issue once and for all," he added. A Premier League spokesman said the league's position was unchanged on the matter: "The 2022 World Cup was bid for and awarded to Qatar as a summer tournament. The prospect of a winter World Cup is neither workable nor desirable for European domestic football." line Sheikh Salman's dismissal of May as an option for the 2022 World Cup will anger the big European clubs and leagues. They feel that if the tournament can't be held in its traditional timeslot of June and July then it should take place as close to those dates as possible. A detailed plan has been proposed by the European Clubs Association and the European Professional Football Leagues - but it is now set to be rejected and consigned to the dustbin. The European clubs provided 75% of the players at last summer's World Cup in Brazil - a fact they're sure to remind those opposed to them in Doha this week. What is clear is that for Sheikh Salman and others upsetting their European colleagues is a price worth paying in order to switch the World Cup to winter in 2022 and deliver the first Middle Eastern tournament.
What would have happened -hypothetically- if Qatar had bid for the Olympics and won. Could the summer Olympics be moved to December?
They bid for the 2016 Olympics, proposing to hold the tournament in October.
Doha got a higher rating than Rio in the application but was rejected because the population was too small and they wanted to host the tournament outside of the usual time for the Summer Olympics.
'"All parties have to compromise, not just the Europeans," Sheikh Salman said.'
How about you compromise by giving the tournament to a country that can host it?
It will be a strange dreamlike event watching England, managed by Chris Powell, beating Germany 6-0 and seeing captain Joe Gomez jubilant as he lifts the Jules Rimez trophy presented by FIFA President David Beckham dressed in a Father Xmas costume..
Meh! Football sold it's soul many moons ago. If anyone is losing any sleep over how much more they can fuck with our beautiful game, then as the famous CL retort inspired by Yann the man goes, "move on"...
Until the big boys (including us still) say enough is enough and pull out of this competition, nothing will ever happen to stop this debacle.
Until that time, January, February or Schmebuary we will still be losing to someone at penalties somewhere...
The whole process is an ill thought through fiasco. At least some people got paid......shameless. Whilst Blatter is heading Fifa, I am not sure that I will bother with that tournament anymore. The sponsors need to know what they are associating their product with.
If you want change then only a worldwide boycott of the FIFA sponsors will do this. If 10m people stopped drinking Pepsi, stopped using MasterCard etc things would soon change.
A two year tender process and no-one thought to consider whether you could actually play football in the country that won the bid. Tells you all you need to know about FIFA (and to be fair you could probably sub in UEFA or the EPL here).
Football is a long way down their list of priorities, behind money, money and more money.
If you want change then only a worldwide boycott of the FIFA sponsors will do this. If 10m people stopped drinking Pepsi, stopped using MasterCard etc things would soon change.
FIFAs sponsor Coca Cola will be happy with that ;-)
Time now for the Aussies to consult their lawyers & to check the bidding contracts that state that they were bidding to hold a SUMMER tournament. As its now going to be held in the winter then all the bids are null & void.
I did hear that the Eskimo 's were now going to enter the bidding as they have the perfect conditions for a winter tournament........
Comments
Takadmu Neanrun (UAE)
Tony Seprano (New Jersey) (postumous role)
Kim Jong-un (North Korea)
You couldn't make it up...
To understand the shenanigans inside FIFA, we must try to understand how differently people in other parts of the world see things from us. For example, the Uruguayan President accused FIFA, Europe and especially the despicable English, of "fascism" for hounding/banning Hungry Suarez. In much of the developing world, Blatter is probably still projected as some kind of genial uncle figure and the nasty English/UEFA are the villains who will stoop to any outrage to snipe at him.
Fifa will decide whether to release its World Cup corruption report within the next few hours - with president Sepp Blatter holding the key to the outcome.
A number of Fifa executives want the entire 430-page report published, but Blatter may limit who is able to vote on the decision to release it.
Only a summary has been released so far, angering author Michael Garcia, who claims parts of it are "erroneous".
Leading members of football's governing body are currently meeting in Morocco.
Blatter has suggested in the past that only those executives who decided, back in December 2010, to award the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar respectively should be able to vote.
Sources close to the Fifa president believe that, as of Thursday night, he was still undecided about what to do.
Fifa's executive committee consisted of 22 members in December 2010 but of those original 22, only 13 still remain.
It means that 12 members of Fifa's committee, which now consists of 25 people, plus two co-opted members, would not be eligible to vote.
Friday's meeting in Marrakesh is expected to conclude around 1200 GMT. Blatter will then speak to the media from around 1300 GMT.
Garcia, an American lawyer, heaped further pressure on Fifa in the run up to this week's two-day meeting in Morocco by resigning as its independent ethics investigator.
He claimed the summary of his two-year investigation into allegations of corruption was "incomplete and erroneous".
Asked if Garcia's resignation was a new low for world football's governing body, Fifa vice-president Jim Boyce, from Northern Ireland, responded: "I don't think there's any doubt about that."
Britain's most senior football official said he has always thought "as much of this report as is legally possible should be put in the public domain".
He added: "Until that is done, it's not going to go away. If people have nothing to hide, why are they afraid of something being issued?"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30546139
IMO, FIFA won't have a chance of being clean until Blatter and the entire old guard just fuck the fuck off.
"The Charlton Lifers* watched Rachel Riley on Countdown and wondered if it would be [NOT LEGALLY POSSIBLE] her with [NOT LEGALLY POSSIBLE] and [NOT LEGALLY POSSIBLE] or a [NOT LEGALLY POSSIBLE].
*You know who you are.
On a different note Garcia is playing a smart game and can easily release a copy of his findings to the FBI - the US are really quite keen on extradition for corruption wherever it occurs and if they want to infuriate Putin then the world cup award is an interesting place to start.
Alternatively Garcia could leak the doc into the public domain but that's his last move in the game so I don't see that happening just yet. No, what he appears to be doing is threatening this type of activity...
Let's see where it goes next.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30552218
I'm not sure I trust slippery Platini any more than I trust serpentine Blatter. "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss" .... will we get fooled again?
Meanwhile, Garcia and FIFA know that all it contains is a load of old shite about tiny inconsequential things, that don't implicate Blatter or any of his cronies.
Later down the line, FIFA 'bow to pressure' and release this report that completely exonerates them of any wrongdoing.
Classic political machination.
The 2022 World Cup in Qatar can only be held in November and December, says the head of Fifa's taskforce looking into possible dates for the tournament.
Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa has ruled out a May tournament - the European leagues' preferred option.
Qatar's bid proposed a summer tournament, but temperatures in the Gulf state are believed to pose a potential risk to players' health.
A January/February tournament would clash with the 2022 Winter Olympics.
"All parties have to compromise, not just the Europeans," Sheikh Salman said.
The proposal raises the prospect of a stand-off between the game's governing bodies and European clubs over domestic schedules and player availability for the tournament.
However, Uefa president Michel Platini has already said it will be a winter tournament and "that it's not possible to play in May when it's 40 degrees".
Sheikh Salman, president of the Asian Football Confederation, said there were two winter options - January/February or November/December - but cited a clash between January 2022 and the Winter Olympics as undesirable.
"We don't want it to collide during that period," he said.
"Stakeholders are concerned about playing in the summer, so we have to change to winter. That's January or November. They have to make a choice - either a) or b).
"But I think everybody agrees that in January or February it's difficult to play for the reasons that I mentioned before [Winter Olympics clash].
"The only option that I see is November/December."
However, a winter World Cup would also be problematic - not only for European league schedules, but for the Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled for January 2023 in Guinea.
Sheikh Salman said he hoped his proposal was "a done deal" and was hopeful a recommendation would be made at Tuesday's taskforce meeting in Doha. The tournament date will then be put to Fifa's executive committee for final approval in March.
"Hopefully we can settle this issue once and for all," he added.
A Premier League spokesman said the league's position was unchanged on the matter: "The 2022 World Cup was bid for and awarded to Qatar as a summer tournament. The prospect of a winter World Cup is neither workable nor desirable for European domestic football."
line
Sheikh Salman's dismissal of May as an option for the 2022 World Cup will anger the big European clubs and leagues.
They feel that if the tournament can't be held in its traditional timeslot of June and July then it should take place as close to those dates as possible.
A detailed plan has been proposed by the European Clubs Association and the European Professional Football Leagues - but it is now set to be rejected and consigned to the dustbin.
The European clubs provided 75% of the players at last summer's World Cup in Brazil - a fact they're sure to remind those opposed to them in Doha this week.
What is clear is that for Sheikh Salman and others upsetting their European colleagues is a price worth paying in order to switch the World Cup to winter in 2022 and deliver the first Middle Eastern tournament.
Doha got a higher rating than Rio in the application but was rejected because the population was too small and they wanted to host the tournament outside of the usual time for the Summer Olympics.
'"All parties have to compromise, not just the Europeans," Sheikh Salman said.'
How about you compromise by giving the tournament to a country that can host it?
Until the big boys (including us still) say enough is enough and pull out of this competition, nothing will ever happen to stop this debacle.
Until that time, January, February or Schmebuary we will still be losing to someone at penalties somewhere...
Football is a long way down their list of priorities, behind money, money and more money.
I did hear that the Eskimo 's were now going to enter the bidding as they have the perfect conditions for a winter tournament........