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FIFA say the Qatar vote was fine, honest

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  • Totally agree that senior officers are effectively fair game in a programme such as newsnight and as such should be well prepared to put their point across and to fend side questions.
    And also suggest that the major European leagues / FAs get a grip before this whole situation gets worse. There is a school of thought which states one should give Blatter and Co. Enough rope to hang themselves - the entry of the FBI into proceedings may bring some fun to the process!
    Let's be clear about the diplomatic language used by the head of the German FA: "One option that would have to bear serious consideration is for UEFA to leave FIFA"
    My belief is that there's a long way to go in this saga.

    As a side note, anyone wanting to fold the FAPL into the FA might wish to reconsider...More likely it goes the other way around with the top 20,30 or whatever clubs in England taking the lead ... If international football sleepwalks into a crisis.
  • Following the statement issued by the chairman of the adjudicatory chamber of the FIFA Ethics Committee, Hans-Joachim Eckert, on the report by the chairman and deputy chairman of the investigatory chamber, Judge Eckert has recommended to the FIFA President – in line with the FIFA Code of Ethics – that a criminal complaint be lodged with the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland in Berne. This criminal complaint has been lodged today. The subject of the criminal complaint is the possible misconduct of individual persons in connection with the awarding of the hosting rights of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups investigated by Michael Garcia, chairman of the investigatory chamber of the FIFA Ethics Committee. In particular there seem to be grounds for suspicion that, in isolated cases, international transfers of assets with connections to Switzerland took place, which merit examination by the criminal prosecution authorities. The reports compiled by Michael Garcia and Cornel Borbély will be made available to the Office of the Attorney General via Hans-Joachim Eckert.

    Unlike FIFA’s bodies, the Swiss criminal prosecution authorities have the ability to conduct investigations under application of criminal procedural coercive measures.
  • so what does this mean? Does it mean that the report is now evidence and cannot be released during the investigation?
  • I thought fifa found no wrong doing, so who's the criminal case against
  • I thought fifa found no wrong doing, so who's the criminal case against

    What is the betting that at least one of the people they want to investigate and prosecute will be English? They said Russia and Qatar bids were fine and only criticised the English voting. What nation wants European countries pulling out of FIFA? what nation is loudest with complaints? how does Blatter normally get his own way? Remember those that stood against him, where are they now?
  • Probably against Michael Garcia for not being corrupt enough
  • Sepp Blater is definitely a perfect example of why a president should only stand for 2 terms, that goes for any organisation or country.

    A boycott of FIFA would be great but unlikely. There's useful analysis from Dan Roan, BBC as to why it is unlikely.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30080414
  • Only the English fa and the aussies actually gave info over so it must be us
  • edited November 2014

    so what does this mean? Does it mean that the report is now evidence and cannot be released during the investigation?

    It would seem so. The BBC said this evening:

    Fifa continues to reject calls for Garcia's full findings to be published.

    "We have examined this matter very carefully from a legal point of view, said Fifa president Sepp Blatter.

    "The result was clear: If Fifa were to publish the report, we would be violating our own association law as well as state law."


    So it can be buried for more than long enough for him to get re-elected in May 2015.
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  • An attempt to make it look like they (FIFA) are not corrupt and that they are taking the findings seriously.

    Blame a number of individuals, keep pushing the blame on to said individuals, shout out who is to blame, shout it out louder and don't answer any questions about the report itself.
  • Three drivers get stopped for drink driving, a Qatari, a Russian and an Englishman. The Englishman fails the test....just. The Qatari and the Russian refuse to take the test.
    The police prosecute the Englishman whilst the Qatari and Russian jump back in their motors and drive off.

    I think Blatter and his cronies have bitten off more than they can chew on this one. It's so blatant its ridiculous.
  • FIFA is a text book example of self governance at its most incompetent and corrupt. As they say, power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

    As for competence, I simply can't imagine how thick the members of FIFA's Executive Council who voted for Qatar must be. This was a vote for a summer tournament which FIFA's own technical committee said was impossible!!

    Anybody not found guilty of corruption and known to have voted for the Qatar bid should be removed immediately on the grounds they are clearly not competent.

    It's staggering and would be hilarious if it didn't matter so much to so many people.
  • Sky sports news was on (without sound) in the pub last night. On the screen it said that Blatter said he had not even read the Garcia report. Is that right?
  • Sky sports news was on (without sound) in the pub last night. On the screen it said that Blatter said he had not even read the Garcia report. Is that right?

    Why would he need to read it when FIFA are just making up their own conclusions and 'facts' anyway?

  • A comment on FIFA incompetence.

    Just a few years after the bidding process was completed, Russia said it could not provide email evidence because it had leased the computers and handed them back at the end of their leases. They had no idea what had become of them and any files on them. Given the extremely high profile of the world Cup and the very large sums of money involved, does FIFA really have such inadequate rules about data and correspondence retention related to the bidding process that Russia faces no sanctions for that admission?

    I was involved with a small English charity that employed a handful of people during the 2000s and was intrigued to find that they had to retain ten years worth of records and correspondence as a legal requirement. As the charity had no storage space, the files were kept in a damp corner of an ex-trustee's garage, but they were kept.

    Is FIFA full of bungling amateurs? Or is it bent as a corkscrew?
  • Is FIFA full of bungling amateurs? Or is it bent as a corkscrew?

    I think Sir Desmond Glazebrook can perhaps best answer that for us:

    Sir Desmond Glazebrook: They've broken the rules.
    Sir Humphrey: What, you mean the insider trading regulations?
    Sir Desmond Glazebrook: No.
    Sir Humphrey: Oh. Well, that's one relief.
    Sir Desmond Glazebrook: I mean of course they've broken those, but they've broken the basic, the basic rule of the City.
    Sir Humphrey: I didn't know there were any.
    Sir Desmond Glazebrook: Just the one. If you're incompetent you have to be honest, and if you're crooked you have to be clever. See, if you're honest, then when you make a pig's breakfast of things the chaps rally round and help you out.
    Sir Humphrey: If you're crooked?
    Sir Desmond Glazebrook: Well, if you're making good profits for them, chaps don't start asking questions; they're not stupid. Well, not that stupid.
    Sir Humphrey: So the ideal is a firm which is honest and clever.
    Sir Desmond Glazebrook: Yes. Let me know if you ever come across one, won't you.

  • Rizzo said:

    Is FIFA full of bungling amateurs? Or is it bent as a corkscrew?

    I think Sir Desmond Glazebrook can perhaps best answer that for us:

    Sir Desmond Glazebrook: They've broken the rules.
    Sir Humphrey: What, you mean the insider trading regulations?
    Sir Desmond Glazebrook: No.
    Sir Humphrey: Oh. Well, that's one relief.
    Sir Desmond Glazebrook: I mean of course they've broken those, but they've broken the basic, the basic rule of the City.
    Sir Humphrey: I didn't know there were any.
    Sir Desmond Glazebrook: Just the one. If you're incompetent you have to be honest, and if you're crooked you have to be clever. See, if you're honest, then when you make a pig's breakfast of things the chaps rally round and help you out.
    Sir Humphrey: If you're crooked?
    Sir Desmond Glazebrook: Well, if you're making good profits for them, chaps don't start asking questions; they're not stupid. Well, not that stupid.
    Sir Humphrey: So the ideal is a firm which is honest and clever.
    Sir Desmond Glazebrook: Yes. Let me know if you ever come across one, won't you.

    Are you saying I'm stupid for asking questions? ;-)
  • A comment on FIFA incompetence.

    Just a few years after the bidding process was completed, Russia said it could not provide email evidence because it had leased the computers and handed them back at the end of their leases. They had no idea what had become of them and any files on them. Given the extremely high profile of the world Cup and the very large sums of money involved, does FIFA really have such inadequate rules about data and correspondence retention related to the bidding process that Russia faces no sanctions for that admission?

    I was involved with a small English charity that employed a handful of people during the 2000s and was intrigued to find that they had to retain ten years worth of records and correspondence as a legal requirement. As the charity had no storage space, the files were kept in a damp corner of an ex-trustee's garage, but they were kept.

    Is FIFA full of bungling amateurs? Or is it bent as a corkscrew?

    Both, obviously.

  • I personally think that FIFA should be held up as a prime example on how to do things transparently and legally ... for the Mafia.
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  • edited November 2014
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30129147

    World Cup 2022: Bin Hammam's role in Qatar bid questioned

    Mohamed Bin Hammam's role in Qatar's successful World Cup bid has been questioned by Fifa whistleblower Phaedra Al-Majid.

    A report cleared Qatar, who claim Bin Hammam was not part of their bid team, of wrongdoing during the bidding process for the 2022 tournament but Al-Majid says the former Fifa vice-president, who was banned from football for life in 2012, was "the key player". Qatar continue to stand by the "quality and integrity" of their bid.

    According to previous statements from Qatar's bid committee, Bin Hammam "played no official or unofficial role" in the bidding process but Al-Majid, who worked as an international media officer for the Qatar bid until she was sacked in 2010, told BBC Radio 5 live's Richard Conway: "He was the key player, our key lobbyist. We had one lobbyist for the Qatar 2022 bid and that was Bin Hammam. He had never attended any of the events with us. The first time he attended any event with us officially as part of the Qatar 2022 bid was in Angola in 2010."

    She added that Bin Hammam, a Qatari, needed to be persuaded to help. "He did have to be convinced, that is true," she said. "He was not interested in Qatar hosting the 2022 [tournament]. He was interested in becoming the next Fifa president."

    Bin Hammam was banned from football for life in 2012 for breaching Fifa's code of ethics while president of the Asian Football Confederation. He had been poised to challenge Sepp Blatter for the Fifa presidency in 2011 but pulled out following allegations of bribery.

    Al-Majid says she has spoken in depth to Fifa investigator Michael Garcia about the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Garcia's 430-page report, compiled after a two-year investigation, has not been made public but a 42-page summary has. Written by Fifa ethics judge Hans-Joachim Eckert, it cleared Qatar and 2018 hosts Russia of wrongdoing.

    However, soon after its publication, Garcia criticised it as "erroneous". The two men are currently meeting at Fifa headquarters in Zurich to discuss any disagreements.

    Al-Majid has also questioned Eckert's report and criticised the German judge for claiming her evidence contained "inconsistencies" that prejudiced its credibility. In 2011 she had admitted making false allegations about Qatar's bid, but says she was coerced into retracting her claims that Qatari bid officials offered to pay for the votes of three Fifa members.

    Al-Majid has told the BBC she also made allegations to Garcia about possible collusion between Qatar and Spain, who were bidding jointly with Portugal for the right to stage the 2018 tournament. Asked whether there had been a pact between Spain and Qatar, she told the BBC: "Yes, there was. I mean, I think that's pretty well known. There was a pact between them. But did I question it as strange or unethical? No, I never did."

    Eckert's report makes no mention of possible Spain collusion. "Isn't that interesting?" asked Al-Majid. "For some reason, Spain is completely forgotten. Again that is information that I know I provided to Garcia. I remember he did ask me questions about that. I also provided him, throughout my investigation, the names of different people he should contact to verify the information I was providing to him. If he did or if he didn't, I don't know."

    Qatar was a surprise choice to host the 2022 World Cup, beating off competition from Australia, Japan, South Korea and the United States.
  • Sony pull sponsorship from the World Cup... Might just be business, but along with Emirates Airlines, that's two down.

    http://online.wsj.com/articles/sony-pulls-world-cup-sponsorship-1416901673
  • Several sponsors making noises...head of German fa taking a stand. Thing is once this goes past a tipping point, there's no going back. Russia and Qatar??? Perfect combination for European football to get a grip. The talent in football might be worldwide but many of the sponsors are US and EU based and the real wealth in club football is champions league.
    Cannot see Blatter back tracking so question is what is the tipping point and how fast do we get there? If there is obvious corruption and US sponsors money then the FBI are on the case. For all we know they already have a copy of the full report?
  • Don't get too far ahead, Sony haven't pulled out they are not renewing their tier 1 sponsorship, that doesn't necessarily mean that they are pulling out totally

    I think the noises are positive but I am wary of the whole circus
  • I personally think that FIFA should be held up as a prime example on how to do things transparently and legally ... for the Mafia.

    ross1 said:

    I thought fifa found no wrong doing, so who's the criminal case against

    What is the betting that at least one of the people they want to investigate and prosecute will be English? They said Russia and Qatar bids were fine and only criticised the English voting. What nation wants European countries pulling out of FIFA? what nation is loudest with complaints? how does Blatter normally get his own way? Remember those that stood against him, where are they now?
    Round up the usual suspects (from Thailand, Spain and Belgium) and ... Franz Beckenbauer.

    telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/international/11257601/Fifa-corruption-Fifa-officials-from-Thailand-Spain-and-Belgium-are-under-investigation-in-World-Cup-bidding-probe.html

    irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/international/three-fifa-executive-committee-members-to-face-formal-disciplinary-action-1.2017993
  • edited December 2014
    Dan Roan ‏@danroan 19m19 minutes ago
    FIFA Appeal Cttee declares appeal lodged by Michael Garcia against Eckert's summary of his investigation into 2018/22 WCs INADMISSIBLE




    So basically, FIFA get an independent body to investigate the processes. They don't like what they find and so get a summary written to twist the conclusions. When Garcia says that his words were misrepresented, FIFA say that his appeal is not valid. Are they saying they know what Garcia meant better than he did?
  • FIFA are f***ing unbelievable.
  • FIFA are f***ing unbelievable.

    Sadly, they're not. They get more believable with every passing day - insomuch as the way they're run makes nothing they do even remotely surprising.

    It's laughable that the organisation running what is, by far, the most popular sport in the world, is so corrupt they make what happens with the Olympics every year the equivalent of bribing someone in the rotary club to vote your missus' way in the village fete cake competition.
  • FIFA have long been past parody.

    When Sepp doe's eventually shuffle off this mortal coil there should be no surprise when he is preserved in aspic or pickled and kept out of the media limelight , whilst FIFA proclaim "oh he's not dead..." a la some North Korean despot!
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