Ode to the beautiful game... (Soccer)

Cachoo

Cachoo

Well-Known Member
Messages
10,859
Lorac said:
That explains why FIFA didn't hold off on the election last Friday and that Blatter wanted time to set up his successor. So getting voted in gives him 6 months to make more deals and hope that it will be business as usual going forwards :(:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Blatter never actually said "resign" in his statement: I have decided to lay down my mandate at an extraordinary elective Congress. I will continue to exercise my functions as FIFA President until that election
I hope the FBI applies the heat as the investigation continues. Oliver said the 168 page document is interesting reading and there is more to come.
 
ballettmaus

ballettmaus

Well-Known Member
Messages
18,679
Buzz said:
Septic Blatter got a 10 minute standing ovation by FIFA's 400 staff members when he went to work today. What better proof is there that this entire organization is corrupt and out of touch with fans and players alike.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32995947
Click to expand...

I hope the ones who gave the standing ovation are not the same ones who are calling for the World Cup boycott and want(ed) to see Blatter out of office.

I read today that the president of the UK soccer federation is asking Germany to boycott the Qatar World Cup. Yes, Germany is the current World Champion but England is considered the birth country of soccer, so why doesn't he take the first step? If everyone's waiting for someone else to take that first step then no one's going to take it.
Being first can be scary and I get that he could be afraid England will be the only one, but I'd applaud them for taking that step and I'm sure so would many others and they, at least, could be sure that they have acted and not just talked about it and complained and didn't do anything about it.
 
Cachoo

Cachoo

Well-Known Member
Messages
10,859
I'd like to know the written FIFA rules about selection for membership and selection for future cup sites. Clearly bribery has been used for decades. You almost expect to see written rules about it. Almost.
 
Buzz

Buzz

Socialist Canada
Messages
37,413
I am sure there are but FIFA just either changes or ignore them when it suits them.
 
Buzz

Buzz

Socialist Canada
Messages
37,413
Just a few things I picked up while reading a number of articles last night:

- Australia is investigating that $500,000 payment to Jack Warner
- The offices of the Venezuelan FA was raided last night
- Brazil has launched it's own investigation into corruption and the 2014 WC
- South Africa has acknowledged the $$10m payment but denies it was a bribe.
- Jack Warner is making wild accusations and promising to produce proof but still denies the charges against him.
 
Cachoo

Cachoo

Well-Known Member
Messages
10,859
I didn't know anything about Andrew Jennings before this and am enjoying finding out about his determination to expose the corruption in FIFA. He said he was taken to an "underground garage?" in London in 2009 and three FBI agents from the Organized Crime Unit asked him if he was willing to share his mountain of info with them. He was happy to share and now five plus years later he sees the fruits of his labor.
 
Buzz

Buzz

Socialist Canada
Messages
37,413
I was just reading an article yesterday about him. What a guy!!! The underground garage part sounds very... :sekret:
 
Buzz

Buzz

Socialist Canada
Messages
37,413
The head of Russia's organizing committee for 2018 Alexei Sorokin has said that Russia's bid was clean and that "some people should lose with dignity".
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-33028673

The Russian World Cup may just be in trouble no matter what the investigation turns up. According to the Guardian, there have been over 100 incidents of racism at football matches in Russia in the last two years. And some prominent black players threatened to boycott Russia 2018 two years ago if Russia did not do something about racism at football matches.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2015/jun/04/racism-in-russia-incidents-world-cup-hosts
 
Last edited:
Buzz

Buzz

Socialist Canada
Messages
37,413
Buzz

Buzz

Socialist Canada
Messages
37,413
I was reading an article critical of KPMG's audits of FIFA because they gave FIFA a clean bill of help for 16 straight years and found this in the end...

And last November, a member of FIFA’s eight-person audit and compliance committee, Canover Watson, was charged in his native Cayman Islands with fraud and money laundering in connection with procurement of a card-swipe system for Cayman’s public hospitals. FIFA’s most recent annual report noted that Mr. Watson had “temporarily left the committee.”
Click to expand...

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/06/s...l-grows-focus-turns-to-its-auditors.html?_r=0
 
Cachoo

Cachoo

Well-Known Member
Messages
10,859
I think what is sad in all of this is that I do think Blatter wanted to make sure the game was promoted in Asia and Africa. I think the ugly stuff will far outweigh the good and at this point I am not sure FIFA will survive. Everyday there is some scurrilous new headline.
 
ballettmaus

ballettmaus

Well-Known Member
Messages
18,679
Cachoo said:
I think what is sad in all of this is that I do think Blatter wanted to make sure the game was promoted in Asia and Africa. I think the ugly stuff will far outweigh the good and at this point I am not sure FIFA will survive. Everyday there is some scurrilous new headline.
Click to expand...

And still, no sponsor seems to be bothered enough by it to withdraw their sponsorship... :slinkaway I wonder what has to happen so that they start taking some actions.
 
alexikeguchi

alexikeguchi

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,206
On a happier note for US fans of the game, how about that friendly victory over Netherlands last night? My older son is studying in Europe this summer, so we met and went to the match. It was a fantastic stadium and atmosphere, and the Dutch fans were very gracious. It was also heartening that it was such a young team, and three of the four goals were the first international goal for those players... The other was only the second.
 
clairecloutier

clairecloutier

Well-Known Member
Messages
14,573
alexikeguchi said:
On a happier note for US fans of the game, how about that friendly victory over Netherlands last night? My older son is studying in Europe this summer, so we met and went to the match. It was a fantastic stadium and atmosphere, and the Dutch fans were very gracious. It was also heartening that it was such a young team, and three of the four goals were the first international goal for those players... The other was only the second.
Click to expand...

That's so awesome that you got to attend the game! I watched on TV & was so psyched about the come-from-behind win and FOUR goals!! Now I REALLY want to watch next week's Germany match, but I have to take my daughter to appointments that afternoon, so I guess I'll just have to follow along on Twitter.

I thought the Dutch crowd was very gracious too. And I loved that low-rolling-drum thing that started up every time the Dutch went on an attack. That was cool.
 
Buzz

Buzz

Socialist Canada
Messages
37,413
alexikeguchi said:
On a happier note for US fans of the game, how about that friendly victory over Netherlands last night? My older son is studying in Europe this summer, so we met and went to the match. It was a fantastic stadium and atmosphere, and the Dutch fans were very gracious. It was also heartening that it was such a young team, and three of the four goals were the first international goal for those players... The other was only the second.
Click to expand...

That is a very interesting result given that the Dutch was top four last two World Cups. It was only a friendly but still a fantastic result! "The future is bright I gotta wear shades!" :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Top
Do Not Sell My Personal Information