FIFA dirty secrets

[john e]

if we lose out with the bid,
it will become just another stick with which to beat the BBC with, whether we would have won it with or without the program, the BBC will get the blame

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

Seems to me most here are slagging off the BBC for doing a job of independent investigative journalism.
Its not  the BBC that has stolen $100 million in the form of bribes and kick backs, money stolen that should be going into the development of football at its grass roots.
Getting the tournament in 2018 would mean entering into very serious and very substantial financial arrangements with a highly undemocratic, highly untransparent, and on the evidence of the Panorama programme a highly corrupt organisation.
However, for the sake of greed and avarice its seems we are willing to ignore this and dance with the devil.
Just as we have danced with devil watching the obscenity of the Premier league develop in recent years, attracting in some cases owners of dubious character who have made their wealth by corrupt means.

[Brend'Watkins]

If the FA had any credibility it would have told FIFA and UEFA to fuck off a long time ago.
We like to think tht the game is straight, it isnt, if its corrupt at the top then its rotten underneath

This I agree with.

However, we still as a country will take part in competitions run by these corrupt organisations in the knowledge that they are corrupt organisations.  Somewhat hypocritical isn't it.  But then again, is our FA squeaky clean?

[Concrete John]

For all those who think the BBC shouldn't have done this, remember we live in a free country and they have a right to broadcast any truthful programme at any time they like.  If we're saying they shouldn't, aren't we therefore running scared of FIFA and the power they hold?  Should fear of authority stop us from questioning that authority?

If we lose they World Cup because we told the truth then that says it all about them and I'd rather expose their corruption than be a party to it, whatever the cost.

"Let the truth be told though the heavens crumble."

[Risso]

I don't know why people are getting so uppity about FIFA either, it's not like football in this country is whiter than white.  What's the difference between delegates accepting money in return for votes, and agents and managers pocketing back handers to make transfers happen?  The whole game is utterly corrupt.

Look at West Ham when they got caught red-handed over the Tevez affair.  Was their punishment commensurate with their crime?  Was it balls.

[pablopicasso_10]

the whole game is in a mess and is run, by and for, greedy wankers without any care about the game itself...

anything that brings this to the attention of the general masses, is fine by me... acceptance, is the first stage to fixing the problem...

my only concern, is that with the timing, when things to go wrong, the blame will be put on the whistle blowers, and the greedy and corrupt will do what they always do, and get away with it...

[Chris Jameson]

I don't agree. FIFA seems to go around like some medieval Royal Court demanding tax-breaks and changes to laws and a bribe is a bribe however long ago it was. Jack Warner's still there in a voting capacity, isn't he? If modern football is a cynical money-making exercise, it's FIFA that is at least culpable, if not responsible. Fuck the World Cup bid!

What James said.

[richard moore]

I don't agree. FIFA seems to go around like some medieval Royal Court demanding tax-breaks and changes to laws and a bribe is a bribe however long ago it was. Jack Warner's still there in a voting capacity, isn't he? If modern football is a cynical money-making exercise, it's FIFA that is at least culpable, if not responsible. Fuck the World Cup bid!

What James said.

Me too. Hope we don't get it. Let some other mug of a country foot the bill. Or perhaps Prince William can pay for it since he seems so keen...actually, come to think of it, no as that is just another way of us paying for it all. Far bigger priorities in the world

[olaftab]

if we lose out with the bid,
it will become just another stick with which to beat the BBC with, whether we would have won it with or without the program, the BBC will get the blame

The point is that this  so called expose was not very good. No depth and nothing new. We all know  most Sports Associations are corrupt and more money they generate more corrupt they become.
I wish the BBC had astounded me  with some real revelations so I could say well done.

[London Villan]

It will be great watching the world cup from our moral high-ground 1500 miles away.

[Brend'Watkins]

Thinking about it, why are we so bothered about having the World Cup in England anyway?  Aren't the FA satisfied that we have the biggest followed league in the world already, isn't that enough? 

[Fred]

I find it worrying that a British PM is moaning about the BBC reporting the truth as annoying, Although some of last night was old news i am glad that both the BBC and the Times have reported what is going on with FIFA. I think we would be better with out the world cup.

[olaftab]

It will be great watching the world cup from our moral high-ground 1500 miles away.

Yes ......nose to ...... face come to mind!

[CJ]

There was a piece in the Independent at the weekend about how FIFA travel around the world insisting on being fawned over in 5 star hotels etc.  Not an exposee as such  - just a statement of what their world is like.  I don't think there is any chance of us winning the bid.  Blatter would rather eat his own shit than see England get the WC. Our bid is so good - stadia and infrastructure in place, public and government backing etc - it will be our downfall. It will go to Russia on the basis that their crumbling stadia will be resurrected so the bid will be seen to leave a legacy. The only legacy our bid offers is debt to pay for it.  I would prefer the Times and Panorama not to have publicised their findings as they will take the rap should our bid fail.  It would have been better to wait until after the result of the bid and then go in all guns blazing for a full exposusre of the depth of FIFA's corruption.  Only thing is it would just look like sour grapes.

[Rigadon]

Good on the BBC.  Just because corruption is rife in football doesn't make it OK.  It's because of people turning a blind eye that the situation is as bad as it is because, to a degree, we (not the fans as such but more so the global business of football) get the game we deserve.  It has to stop somewhere and I think this could be a catalyst.