In what is undoubtedly the least surprising English sentence ever constructed: Turns out FIFA are corrupt as shit.
Following the arrest of just about everyone on the FIFA executive with charges of extensive corruption levelled at them by the US, questions are again being raised about FIFA’s farcical decision making processes in awarding the next two World Cups to Russia in 2018, and even more puzzlingly to Qatar in 2022.
Global footballing leaders are currently making a mad dash to Zurich as world football enters its darkest hour, with FFA boss Frank Lowy due to arrive later today. Once they’ve gathered, it’s expected that a leadership ballot will be held to determine the status of FIFA boss Sepp Blatter – who was not among those arrested, but whose position within the supremely wealthy and powerful sporting authority is now under severe question.
Meanwhile, former SBS mainstay and arguably the voice of football in Australia, Les Murray has suggested that Australia should consider re-bidding for the 2022 World Cup, should the opportunity now arise.
Speaking on the ABC’s AM program, Murray stated that a re-bid should be considered in the event that Qatar is stripped of the cup.
“If it comes to pass and the courts rule that in fact some manipulation was made and bribes were taken, then I don’t believe there’s any other choice but to have a revote. If there is a revote, I think Australia should bid again.”
The Qatar cup has been the subject of extreme controversy from the moment it was awarded the tournament. The tiny Arab nation has an appalling human rights record, virtually no soccer culture, and suffers from extreme sweltering heat in the summer, which the nation’s tournament bidders claimed they could counteract by building stadiums with massive, revolutionary cooling systems.
In fact, such are the horrendous conditions and atrocious human rights records that the Washington Post estimates that as many as 1,200 migrant workers have died since the announcement of the Qatari World Cup, which – if the trend continues – could put the death toll at around 4,000 by the time the tournament rolls around.
Despite pouring millions upon millions of dollars into the bid, which included allegations of bribery, Australia’s 2022 World Cup bid only managed to attract a single, solitary vote from FIFA officials. It’s strongly alleged that $500,000 of Australia’s bid was taken covertly by FIFA executive Jack Warner, who was among those arrested.
Independent senator Nick Xenophon has now called on the FFA to formally report the payment as a theft.
Photo: Jon Buckle via Getty Images.
via ABC News.
