FIFA Officials Arrested
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.theonion.com/article/fifa-frantically-announces-2015-summer-world-cup-u-50525'>http://www.theonion.com/article/fifa-frantically-announces-2015-summer-world-cup-u-50525</a></p>
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<p>why do many announce who they are going to vote for? </p>
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<p>Kinda 'peer pressure' situation about who to vote for??</p> -
<p>adds a bit to the price</p>
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<p>Doesn't matter how it is dressed up - I abhor any practice where self-enrichment trumps making good (or at least well-intentioned) decisions by people in positions of trust and responsibility.</p>
<p>I concur that it would be naive to think it doesn't happen constantly, in a myriad of so-called <em>legitimate</em> ways in pretty much every corner of the globe in most spheres of life.</p>
<p>But that doesn't make it any more right and so I welcome any efforts at exposing these practices and cleaning them up. Even if that results in a "pot / kettle" situation.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Chris B." data-cid="493063" data-time="1432852093">
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<p>Blatter is a politician in a fairly safe seat. He's looking after us well and we're voting for him. At times he's made noises about Oceania having direct entry into the FWC - which makes bugger all sense really - except that it helps deliver quite a few country votes (Tuvalu = China) to Blatter. Same sort of patronage system exists across many international agencies. </p>
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<p>Highly familiar to me, as I am on the board for the NZ Chess Federation, and FIDE (world chess federation) is basically the same - one nation, one vote, and a president who gets lots of votes from non-Western countries by providing "grants" to smaller countries... We haven't voted for him for years because we don't view that as helpful.</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/world-game/68982533/new-zealand-football-to-vote-for-prince-ali-bin-alhussein-and-change-of-fifa-leadership'>http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/world-game/68982533/new-zealand-football-to-vote-for-prince-ali-bin-alhussein-and-change-of-fifa-leadership</a></p>
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<p>Apparently NZF are not voting for Blatter.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="El Toro supremo" data-cid="493106" data-time="1432871937">
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<p>I am pointing out the naivety and subjectivity of dealing with the term ......corruption. And how certain people like to define it for their benefit.....I am not defending it.</p>
<p>And I do cringe a little when the cop is arresting somebody with his left hand…while the right hand is dripping with blood from his own murderous spree……</p>
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<p>One man's corruption/ bribe is another man's "business skill"…<br>
In first world countries "sophisticated" means are used to set up agreements for people in corporate and political power to gain enormous wealth from anything like arms deals.....to agricultural produce.....screwing the competition in the process....and even sending thousands to their graves in extreme cases. All done by upstanding citizens..... above board....untouchable in a court of law.</p>
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<p>It works differently in third world countries......a "doorman" fee of varying percentage is the norm in Africa and lots of other third world countries. It is simple business, comes with the territory and not even frowned upon. Huge multi-nationals doing business in Africa knows this and adapt their systems to accommodate the norm. All the big miners......everyone knows you won’t get anything done if you don't participate.<br>
The difference between the two systems is that one comes with less red tape…..<br>
Whether it is wrong or right is not my point........</p>
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<p>And I feel bugger all for FIFA...... they can fry for all I care.......the irony that the whole case was built on simple tax evasion adds to the stupidity of those involved.....fuck the Feds......the IRS will get you if nobody else will!</p>
<p>But I do laugh at the naivety and moral outrage of people cocooned in a first world bubble of spin and bullshit.....falling over much bigger corruption every day without even noticing it......<br>
How do you stamp it out? Fuck knows......probably can’t be done. One way or the other it will surface again.....wearing a new coat.</p>
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<p>Also.....Can you think of a "fair" system of allocating the soccer WC? Fair to whom?<br>
One where the guy with the biggest budget won’t simply bully the small guys into oblivion?</p>
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<p>You haven't actually provided any evidence of the other sort of corruption. You also don't provide any sources. You come up with 1.2 billion dollars from somewhere but the New York Times says both Obama and Romney spent less than that in the last election. What is this bigger bribery we are falling over every day?</p>
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<p>If this isn't a strawman argument then I don't know what is.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="hydro11" data-cid="493125" data-time="1432882784">
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<p>You haven't actually provided any evidence of the other sort of corruption. <strong>You also don't provide any sources. You come up with 1.2 billion dollars from somewhere but the New York Times says both Obama and Romney spent less than that in the last election.</strong> What is this bigger bribery we are falling over every day?</p>
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<p>If this isn't a strawman argument then I don't know what is.</p>
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<p>Fair question Hydro......</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2015/jun/04/how-money-runs-our-politics/'>http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2015/jun/04/how-money-runs-our-politics/</a></p>
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This can probably explain the loophole used in the tax code to channel "dark money" donations best of all....most other articles on the matter is based on party political hype and distorts the fact that both sides are equally guilty.....well worth the read in understanding the landmark Citizens United court case and verdict which has changed US politics forever.......with worldwide resultant implications.......<br>
In fact you are wasting your time trying to follow the US election campaigns without a good understanding of all this......follow the money.<br>
It looks like the $1.2 billion bar is going to be smashed to bits in 2016.....</p>
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<p>That only answers some of your questions......the rest you will have to figure out for yourself :yes:</p> -
Maybe the way NTA talks about the judiciary and Richies influence, the IRB will be next.
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So I guess NZ won't be holding anymore age group tournaments...the fact we've had 3 and Aus 0...
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Looks like the right kind of questions are now starting to emerge about the $46 million Aus spent on their bid....<br>
Allegations on morning TV that half of that was paid as bribes to corrupt officials to try and secure the bid.....will have to see if it sticks with any evidence.....any bets? -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="jegga" data-cid="493272" data-time="1432932580"><p>I just emailed tv3 and asked them pm ETS and see if he's free between 7 and 7:30 on week nights.</p></blockquote>
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I don't know who tv3 is and what they do......but I checked my schedule and I am "free" for $ 20 000 an hour......<br>
For that money I will tell you anything you WANT to hear! -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Mokey" data-cid="493268" data-time="1432927433">
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<p>(would be interesting to see the countries who voted for him and their ranking on the world corruption ladder...)</p>
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<p>It's a secret ballot. Awful thing about it is a small bribe to Cayman Islands cancels out Germany's vote; a vote from Maldives cancels England's FA vote, etc. Blatter's re-election then, in a secret vote, was a formality.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="red terror" data-cid="493285" data-time="1432942304">
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<p>It's a secret ballot. Awful thing about it is a small bribe to Cayman Islands cancels out Germany's vote; a vote from Maldives cancels England's FA vote, etc. Blatter's re-election then, in a secret vote, was a formality.</p>
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<p>I read a few years ago the strategy Blatter employs, and in a one country-one vote system like FIFA its laughably easy: poor countries like that are what keeps him going. He probably realised this before anyone else, rather than sucking up to the "traditional" powers who were meant to exert influence and favours, and now he's entrenched. Cut out the middle-man, effectively.</p>
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<p>I tend to agree with El Toro's assessment: corruption is rife, just that in the West we don't associate it with simple money-for-favours. We like to dress it up a bit more. Its not what we call "fair", but then, nothing is.</p> -
<p><strong><span style="font-size:18px;"><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://screamer.deadspin.com/italian-paper-alleges-fifa-used-corrupt-refs-to-fix-200-1707704308'>Italian Paper Alleges FIFA Used Corrupt Refs To Fix 2002 World Cup Games</a></span></strong></p>
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<p><span style="font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:15px;">The 2002 World Cup hosted jointly by South Korea and Japan was already infamous for its horrendous refereeing, most notably two knockout stage match-ups involving South Korea. Today, one Italian paper has linked what was widely believed to be match-fixing behavior back then to this current FIFA scandal.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:15px;">[...]</span></p>
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<p>Blatter is a doos so I feel a bit silly to try and defend him........but his opponent yesterday was a Prince in the Jordan Royal family........Prince Ali bin-al Hussein..........according to his official website he is a 43rd generation direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad.........OK? I can see that being popular.....</p>
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<p>For those that do not understand Blatter's popularity with the minnows.......this paragraph testifies to it:</p>
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<p>Quote</p>
<p>European nations also revealed they were near-united in support of Mr Blatter's challenger.</p>
<p>They even reiterated their threat to withdraw from FIFA and the World Cup if Mr Blatter was to stay in the job.</p>
<p><strong>However the threat did not go down well with some other countries, who saw it as football's richest, oldest members trying to bully the developing world.</strong></p>
<p><strong>Mr Blatter's support base was in the scores of smaller nations who have benefited from a steady flow of money, channeled from the immense profits from World Cup sponsorship, broadcast rights and ticket sales into the provision of new football infrastructure and promotion in countries that many may not even have heard of, let alone cared about.</strong></p>
<p>Typical is Cape Verde, a tiny nation of half a million people on ten volcanic islands off the coast of West Africa.</p>
<p>Mario Semedo, former head of Cape Verde's football association, now on FIFA's development committee, told Friday's meeting with pride and gratitude the country had no grass pitches in 1998, and now has 25, five of which were financed by FIFA – which also helped build two training centres.</p>
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<p>Isn't that the exact thing we are accusing the IRB of neglecting? Looking after grass roots development for the game?</p>
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<p>Blatter also understands the one man, one vote system.....just like most political parties do. </p>
<p>But it is hugely ironic how the west is now squealing about how 'unfair'and corrupt this system is when it doesn't work in their favour.......Huh?</p>
<p>Isn't that the same system that they <strong>forced</strong> on South Africa to get rid of the old evil white regime? Now suddenly that shoe does not fit so well? </p>
<p>No weighted votes allowed.......one man, one vote. Welcome to democracy....wear the fucken shoe!</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="El Toro supremo" data-cid="493298" data-time="1432945829">
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<p>Blatter is a doos so I feel a bit silly to try and defend him........but his opponent yesterday was a Prince in the Jordan Royal family........Prince Ali bin-al Hussein..........according to his official website he is a 43rd generation direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad.........OK? I can see that being popular.....</p>
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<p>Better the devil you know - even if he keeps promising to step down at the next election.</p>
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<p>79 and all the blow-n-bitchez you could want swimming through your pool of money with you. Hell of a way to go.</p> -
<p>It looks like you have about $5.7 BILLION sloshing around in the FIFA kitty between World Cups……all in the hands of a few sports administrators.<br>
Definitely no chance of any ….â€misappropriationâ€â€¦.. there!<br>
And no wonder you have a myriad of guys desperately trying to get their hands on that honeypot…..with the current mob doing everything possible to maintain the status quo.</p>
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$5.7 billion is enough to start a war in many parts of the world…..so brace yourself for a moral, ethical, cultural and legal onslaught of epic proportions.</p>
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It is also interesting to see the fairly low profile that the main sponsors are keeping with regards to the latest saga……no doubt wishing/ knowing it will soon blow over.</p>
<p>Fans actually don’t give a shit about the governing body…they support their team and that is mostly that……Sanzar is a good example in that regard.</p>
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I actually do think that FIFA needs some reform……but I’ m hugely skeptical about whether that won’t just mean that the power / money shifts to some old school clique…….<br>
I also think there is merit in the argument that countries that contribute more financially through viewer numbers / TV rights should have a bigger say…….but just think about how we despise that arrangement for cricket with the Big Three controlling just about all aspects of the game?<br>
And you can probably kiss development in some of the minnow nations good bye if you don’t need their vote anymore…..but do we really care if they are playing cricket / soccer in Malawi? Or in Cape Verde? Or is it just window dressing in any case?<br>
So yeah….pick your poison…..</p>
