Russia gets 2018 World Cup, Qatar gets 2022 World Cup

[Yachtzee]

Originally Posted by reds1869

I would love to see the big money nations of FIFA (England, Brazil, France, Germany, etc.) pull out of the 2022 World Cup and stage their own contest. Perhaps then FIFA would think twice about their corrupt little fiefdom.

I don't know if England would go for it, considering their bigger beef is that they were told they'd get the 2018 World Cup and ended up losing to Russia. Since both are in UEFA, England stands to lose quite a bit if they buck their own confederation. To boycott the 2022 World Cup and have it be meaningful, you'd have to get UEFA and/or CONMEBOL on board. The US and Mexico could probably go it alone without CONCACAF, since CONCACAF is run by the same kind of greedy swindlers that resulted in Qatar getting the World Cup in the first place. However, without a power conference like UEFA or CONMEBOL, you won't see much happening.

Another option raised elsewhere, forcing Sepp Blatter out as FIFA head, probably won't do much either, since his primary competition for the job is, yep, you guessed it, a Qatari.

I think the most likely scenarios that would cause Qatar to lose the World Cup would be 1) a major scandal comes to light, forcing FIFA to move the World Cup in order to save face and/or avoid legal consequences (it would probably have to rise to the level of considering FIFA a criminal organization); 2) political unrest in Qatar calls into question the ability to ensure the safety of visitors; or 3) the economics/practicality of building all those new stadia just doesn't work out, causing Qatar to give up as host.

[Yachtzee]

Originally Posted by WMR

It's just sad. Each of us only gets a certain number of World Cups in our lifetime, and to have those corrupt, greedy &&&&&&& in charge of the World's game just irks me to no end.

I wonder who at FIFA got rich over Qatar landing that WC? Probably all of them.

It would be a good debate, which organization sucks more, the NCAA or FIFA.

I don't doubt that many, many pockets got lined in the decision making process. Blatter's whole power base has been the many smaller federations of FIFA, which he buys off through generous grants for "youth soccer programs" and the like. He is then able to get his cronies elected to high positions in the Executive Committee and in the power positions of certain confederations. The likely reason for holding the bidding for 2 World Cups simultaneously was that Blatter probably felt he might get a serious challenge in the next vote, so he wanted to make sure FIFA's coffers were full of money (and bribes) from bidding nations to ensure he had the wherewithal to buy support for his reelection. The worst part of it is, even when guys like Blatter's crony Jack Warner get caught red handed stealing from their own federation (Trinidad and Tobago in this case), not only does he refuse to pay back the millions he took, he keeps his job and gets elected to political office in T&T.

FIFA makes the NCAA look like child's play. If the NCAA were run like FIFA, the feds would have brought RICO charges against it and/or it's members.

[Hoosier Red]

Agreed on all counts about the greed in FIFA.

But one thing I realized during the fears that South Africa wouldn't be able to adequately stage the World Cup last year. The United States may never be chosen as the host site again.

The fact that FIFA knows that staging the tournament on as little as 6 months notice is not a huge problem for the USSF. They did it when the Women's world cup was a no go in China as I recall.

In any event, I wonder if FIFA will always choose a riskier place to stage the game if given the opportunity, knowing they can come back to the United States if for whatever reason Qatar or whomever follows Qatar can't quite do it.

[Slyder]

Originally Posted by Yachtzee

I don't know if England would go for it, considering their bigger beef is that they were told they'd get the 2018 World Cup and ended up losing to Russia. Since both are in UEFA, England stands to lose quite a bit if they buck their own confederation. To boycott the 2022 World Cup and have it be meaningful, you'd have to get UEFA and/or CONMEBOL on board. The US and Mexico could probably go it alone without CONCACAF, since CONCACAF is run by the same kind of greedy swindlers that resulted in Qatar getting the World Cup in the first place. However, without a power conference like UEFA or CONMEBOL, you won't see much happening.

The US and Mexico ARE CONCACAF. I mean when was the last time ANYONE else from the conferderation got to a World Cup? US and Mexico boycotting would be force enough without even having to go to the confederation.

Originally Posted by Yachtzee

Another option raised elsewhere, forcing Sepp Blatter out as FIFA head, probably won't do much either, since his primary competition for the job is, yep, you guessed it, a Qatari.

There's gotta be someone that would run against him.

Originally Posted by Yachtzee

I think the most likely scenarios that would cause Qatar to lose the World Cup would be 1) a major scandal comes to light, forcing FIFA to move the World Cup in order to save face and/or avoid legal consequences (it would probably have to rise to the level of considering FIFA a criminal organization); 2) political unrest in Qatar calls into question the ability to ensure the safety of visitors; or 3) the economics/practicality of building all those new stadia just doesn't work out, causing Qatar to give up as host.

With the way the middle east is right now your best shot would probably be #2 followed by #3. I just don't see how #1 can ever be really big enough to come to light.

[Yachtzee]

Originally Posted by Slyder

The US and Mexico ARE CONCACAF. I mean when was the last time ANYONE else from the conferderation got to a World Cup? US and Mexico boycotting would be force enough without even having to go to the confederation.

The US and Mexico should be the power brokers of CONCACAF, but they are not. Because the Caribbean countries are numerous, yet have populations smaller than small US cities, Jack Warner of Trinidad and Tobago is able to use FIFA funds to pay off the Caribbean federations and maintain his contol. CONCACAF just changed the rules of World Cup Qualifying so that the US and Mexico will rarely play each other. Instead, they will be forced to play more games against weak Carribean island teams on woefully inadequate pitches. All to fatten the coffers of Warner's cronies.

There's gotta be someone that would run against him.

The two challengers at this time:
1. Mohammed bin Hamman - Qatari head of the Asian Confederation. Claims he wants transparency, but I think most pundits feel his regime would be just as corrupt as Blatter's.
2. Grant Wahl - writer for Sports Illustrated. Joke Candidacy. Needs nominated.

With the way the middle east is right now your best shot would probably be #2 followed by #3. I just don't see how #1 can ever be really big enough to come to light.

[Slyder]

FIFA I think would pull the qualifying spots of CONCACAF if the US and Mexico were to boycott because no one else from the entire Federation means a darn thing and give Europe and So. America an extra entrant that year. CONCACAF representation without Mexico or US= Pointless. For some of the reasons you stated above.

[Caveat Emperor]

The plot thickens further:
http://espn.go.com/sports/soccer/new...ption-evidence

Following Tuesday's allegations made during a British parliamentary inquiry, FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke wrote to England's Football Association asking for a complete report plus "all documentary evidence" from David Triesman, the former leader of England's 2018 bid.

Triesman told British lawmakers that four long-standing FIFA officials -- Jack Warner, Nicolas Leoz, Ricardo Teixeira and Worawi Makudi -- requested bribes in the 2018 bidding.

and, more interestingly:

British sports minister Hugh Robertson said he had discussed the possibility of England breaking away from FIFA, along with other countries.

"I have taken the temperature from other football associations around the world, particularly we did that in the wake of the 2018 bid," Robertson told the BBC. "At the moment there is a desire to try to work to change FIFA from the inside. If FIFA is unable to do that then I would say all options are possible."

[reds1869]

Originally Posted by Caveat Emperor

The plot thickens further:
http://espn.go.com/sports/soccer/new...ption-evidence


and, more interestingly:

England can break FIFA if they so choose. There are nations more populous and more successful in the sport, but England is the heritage, heart and soul of the game. If England leaves I suspect most of Europe goes with them.

[bucksfan2]

Originally Posted by reds1869

England can break FIFA if they so choose. There are nations more populous and more successful in the sport, but England is the heritage, heart and soul of the game. If England leaves I suspect most of Europe goes with them.

I think England would need help. You get England, Germany, Italy, and France together and they could potentially break FIFA. The problem I see is England decides to break away and the rest basically say "let em go, we don't need them." You get a couple of the major powers together and you will see a break or major reform.

[reds1869]

Originally Posted by bucksfan2

I think England would need help. You get England, Germany, Italy, and France together and they could potentially break FIFA. The problem I see is England decides to break away and the rest basically say "let em go, we don't need them." You get a couple of the major powers together and you will see a break or major reform.

That's the thing, I think the major European powers would follow. They need English tourist dollars and don't want to do anything that would anger the English. My English friends are proud people who would pull every pence out of continental travel if they felt slighted, and mind you they travel a lot. Sport influences politics much more heavily there than it does here.

[reds1869]

Well, well, well...FIFA may actually admit to corruption and make a logical decision for once. Fingers crossed!

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/f...r-2286520.html

[BuckeyeRed27]

Originally Posted by reds1869

Well, well, well...FIFA may actually admit to corruption and make a logical decision for once. Fingers crossed!

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/f...r-2286520.html

There would need to be some really solid evidence for this to happen. As the article points out, this would be awful for FIFA. Although it would probably be good for the US.

[Chip R]

Originally Posted by reds1869

Well, well, well...FIFA may actually admit to corruption and make a logical decision for once. Fingers crossed!

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/f...r-2286520.html

Wonder if that happens if those guys who were (allegedly) bribed by Qatar will keep their money?

[Betterread]

It just gets worse for FIFA....


Blatter escapes, Bin Hammam bannedMay 29, 2011
Email Print By ESPNsoccernet staff

FIFA's ethics committee (editor: chaired by Sepp Blatter - Next up on the committee agenda: A roundtable discussion in search of a more appropriate committee name) has ruled that "no investigation is warranted'' against president Sepp Blatter in relation to bribery allegations, but Jack Warner and Mohamed Bin Hammam have been handed temporary suspensions.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter was accused but has been cleared of any wrongdoing
Both Warner and Bin Hammam have been suspended from all football-related activity pending the outcome of a full inquiry into accusations that they offered financial incentives to members of the Caribbean Football Union.
However, a complaint against FIFA president Blatter that he knew about the payments to officials was rejected by the committee.
Bin Hammam and Warner are accused of handing over bundles of cash, each of 40,000 US dollars, to Caribbean football officials and Petrus Damaseb, the Namibian judge presiding over the ethics committee, said there was enough evidence against them to justify them being suspended pending the full inquiry.

He told a news conference in Zurich: "Mr Bin Hammam is hereby provisionally banned from taking part in any football-related activity until FIFA's ethics committee take a decision on this matter, and the same decision for Mr Jack Warner.''
Two officials from the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), Debbie Minguell and Jason Sylvester, who were alleged to have handed over the money have also been suspended pending a full inquiry.
Blatter was accused by Bin Hammam of knowing about the payments and not reporting them but he told the ethics committee he had warned Warner that any such payments were not appropriate.
Damaseb said: "The committee took the view that the obligation to report did not arise because at that stage no wrongdoing had occurred.''
Blatter said in a statement: "The FIFA ethics committee has reached its decisions. I do not wish to comment in detail. But simply to say that I regret what has happened in the last few days and weeks. FIFA's image has suffered a great deal as a result, much to the disappointment of FIFA itself and all football fans.''
FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke also revealed that the presidential election will go ahead as planned on Wednesday, despite Bin Hammam withdrawing his candidature on Sunday.
Valcke said the presidential election would take place on June 1 as planned with Blatter as the only candidate, but that the FIFA Congress of 208 nations could decide to change this if there was a 75% majority.

Meanwhile, a report commissioned by the FA into ex-chairman Lord Triesman's allegations of impropriety by four FIFA members, including Warner, has found no meaningful evidence to back up the claims.

Triesman said the four had asked for cash or favours to support England's 2018 bid but evidence from other England officials had not supported these claims, with Valcke saying: "They are completely clean."

[reds1869]

It amazes me that a committee chaired by Blatter is allowed to discuss the course of action on bribery allegations directed at Blatter. Sepp Blatter's FIFA gives Boss Cox's Cincinnati a run for its money.