Re: FIFA Investigation and Elections Thread

[Cruijf]

So apparently not only did Russia buy the 2018 WC, but the US bought the 2022 one, until Qatar essentially outbid them.

http://bit.ly/1LBGrWn

What a farce

[breva]

I do business internationally and I am always amused when I hear that Latin Europe is corrupt. I have found that the British and Germans are far more corrupt than the Spanish and Italians. They are just better at it and their own investigative services are more likely to avoid pursuing investigations that might hurt business. Latin Europe, especially Italy, has investigative services who live for the day that they can bring down the big shots.

The English, Germans and other Northern Europeans are more clever corrupters and cheaters. For example, VW was able to cheat on emissions for diesel cars for nearly a decade and if someone had not talked, they would have gotten away with it.

Do you have any examples? Me, as a latin, I find that hard to believe. Being corrupt seems to be the national sport here. Even international corruption indexes put latin countries on the bottom (from rich countries).

Also, @BC why Swiss are corrupt in your opinion?

International indices of corruption like Transparency International don't actually gauge corruption in a given country, it gauges the people's perception of corruption within their own society. In Europe anyway, it is claimed that the Latin European masses are generally more cynical than their counterparts in Northern Europe.

Latin America is rampant with petty corruption, hence it is very visible. German corruption is more grandiose and stealthy, like the Volkswagen scandal or the 2006 World Cup issue where the kick back was raised and paid by a German shoe company rather than the German FA. British corruption is equally or even more grandiose. The LIBOR rate scandal represented billions maybe up to a trillion dollars of corruption money, for example. London's City is the world's center for money laundering where third world leaders bring their ill gotten gains for cleaning. Then there are the huge arms sales kickbacks that the British pay. It is said that BAE paid a Saudi prince a kickback of 1 billion pounds!

The Swiss, well, the Swiss Bank account used to evade taxes comes to mind, then Sepp Blatter. LOL

The Northern European corruption is just on a much larger scale and they are better at keeping most of it quiet.

If you mean Latin America, the corruption there is more petty corruption and

[free_cat]

The City and Swiss banks doesn't coun, it's not corruption towards the swiss or the british. It's tax evading from foreigners, which Swiss and the city openly profit.

Volskwagen scandal is not really corruption, although being a fraud to the clients. Ok on the german FA, that's a good example of corruption, but given that it's FIFA we're talking.

We'll look into the LIBOR scandal.

In northern europe, they don't seem to have anything to show on corruption.

[breva]

The City and Swiss banks doesn't coun, it's not corruption towards the swiss or the british. It's tax evading from foreigners, which Swiss and the city openly profit.

Volskwagen scandal is not really corruption, although being a fraud to the clients. Ok on the german FA, that's a good example of corruption, but given that it's FIFA we're talking.

We'll look into the LIBOR scandal.

In northern europe, they don't seem to have anything to show on corruption.

Of course it is corruption. Just not petty corruption, it is considered gross corruption. For example, helping a third world leader launder funds acquired through corruption makes one a party to the corruption. Manipulating the LIBOR rates was gross corruption. Giving a billion pound kickback to a Saudi prince for having selected your Typhoon aircraft is gross corruption.

[RedOranje]

So apparently not only did Russia buy the 2018 WC, but the US bought the 2022 one, until Qatar essentially outbid them.

http://bit.ly/1LBGrWn

What a farce

The quotes don't actually imply or suggest that Russia or the USA brided the voters, but that they chose Russia as it had never hosted before, and the US to ensure there were no complaints about Russia (balancing the "two biggest political powers").  Qatar then showed up and convinced (via monetary or other means, it's not specified for obvious reasons) several voters to change their 2022 vote.

Whether it's worth putting any stock in what's clearly Blatter's latest attempt to shift blame and try to discredit the criminal investigations is up to you.

[Cruijf]

That's true, but if you tell me the entire voting committee 'decided' on 2018 going to Russia and 2022 going to US, I'm going to assume money changed hands, especially considering what we know now.

[breva]

If, as stated in the article below, the German FA paid the equivalent of 6.7 million euro (through Adidas) to get the 2006 WC, one would think that the price had gone up.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/documents-indicate-slush-fund-used-in-german-world-cup-bid-a-1058212.html

[Grande_Milano]

Blatter says they had an agreement about Russia and US taking two WC's but then Sarkozy intervened

[RedOranje]

New Wave of Arrests in FIFA Scandal [Blatter still not among them]
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/03/sports/fifa-scandal-arrests-in-switzerland.html

[Harmonica]

Waiting the whistle blowing on 2013 FIFA Ballon d'Or.

[rincon]

I think this the right thread. FIFA is electing a new president right now, live stream on their website if anyone cares. 4 candidates as one, Tokyo Sexwale (dat name ), dropped

[Harmonica]

OMG this will take forever. Only FIFA could produce such a slow cluster****.

[Harmonica]

88 Infantino
85 Al Khalifa
27 Al Hussein
7 Champagne

Revote as Infantino didn't receive enough votes, 138 needed for 2/3.

[windkick]

Looks like Infantino (a UEFA rep) will ultimately pull through

Tokyo Sexwale is an awesome name, btw

[Dante]

Worth noting Gianni Infantino has the backing of the ECA , the European Club Association . Has many years of experience in Uefa as well and also helped in expanding the Euros from 16 teams to 24 , something which has been highly praised so far. Infantino also has similar plans for the World Cup , iirc .

Seems like the best candidate for the position to me .

[futbol_bill]

Bigger question isn't who, but what will they do to clean up corruption!!

[Dante]

Indeed . Let's hope it will be his biggest contribution if it is him in the end .

[rincon]

I don't know too much about either candidate but Infantino was Platini's right hand man all this time. What kind of change does that promise? He seems like more of the same corrupt bureaucrats

[Jonathan28]

Infantino ran his campaign on the promise of on expanding the World Cup, organising a Pan-Caribbean league (20+ members of the Caribbean), giving $5 million to each federation, and $40 million to each confederation.

[BarrileteCosmico]

Did Infantino run on a platform of reform?

[sportsczy]

First thing you can expect is Platini's ban to be lifted by FIFA and his return to head UEFA. Infantino is his best friend and protege....

[Jay29]

The members voted to pass reforms before Infantino was elected:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35667595

[rwo power]

Tokyo Sexwale is an awesome name, btw

I think "Champagne" wasn't so bad either. XD

[RedOranje]

I don't know too much about either candidate but Infantino was Platini's right hand man all this time. What kind of change does that promise? He seems like more of the same corrupt bureaucrats

First thing you can expect is Platini's ban to be lifted by FIFA and his return to head UEFA.  Infantino is his best friend and protege....

And Sheikh Salman, the other leading candidate, was a close friend and ally of Blatter. Rock, hard place.

[sportsczy]

Yeah but he's in power now and UEFA is entirely behind him... so he can get Platini reinstated pretty quickly I'd assume. I'd say over the next 6 months. He'll start by launching an investigation into the ethics committee then nullify whatever decision was made due to whatever dirt is found... it's fairly standard in politics. No reason FIFA should be different.

[RedOranje]

Perhaps its worth waiting to see how things actually develop before buying your k-rations, setting the house on fire, and sealing yourself inside the bunker, yea?

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