"Fifa report 'erroneous', says lawyer who investigated corruption claims"

[TomandJerry]

"The findings of Fifa's inquiry into allegations of corruption during bidding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups have been questioned - by the man who conducted the two-year investigation into the claims.
In an unexpected twist, lawyer Michael Garcia says the report "contains numerous materially incomplete and erroneous representations of the facts and conclusions".
The 42-page report cleared both Russia and Qatar, who will host the 2018 and 2022 tournaments, of wrongdoing.
It also accused the English Football Association of flouting bid rules and damaging Fifa's image.
Fifa, the body that governs world football, welcomed the report and said it brought closure to the damaging episode.
But Garcia's statement, issued less than four hours after the report was published, reopens the debate about the validity of the bidding process for both the 2018 and 2022 competitions."

 

[zeetha]

FIFA couldn't organise their way out of a paper bag!

 

[Perfidious Albion]

Damning comments from the man who supplied a lot of the basic information, but then it was written up by someone else.

What is the point of FIFA investigating themselves, anyway? The result is a foregone conclusion.

 

[Insel affe]

What is the point of FIFA investigating themselves, anyway? The result is a foregone conclusion.

Because it was a Kangaroo court, The Mafia have nothing on FIFA although I would not be surprised if they had dealings with each other though.....

Complete and utter disgrace, when will some body or organization stand up to them. We might aswell pull out they hate us.

 

[vegster]

FIFA were always going to get the result they wanted as it was their enquiry in to their unaccountable organisation. It is sad yet we are stuck with them unless enough pressure can be put on their sponsors to either withdraw their financial support or demand change.
A good example of this , in a negative way, is how FIFA managed to get the Brazilian government to change its no alcohol in stadiums rule under pressure from Budwieser.

 

[dejavuatbtn]

It would be great if Greg Dyke had the balls to stand up to FIFA and pulled out of their association in protest. It might just be the catalyst for football to regain its senses.

 

[Goldstone1976]

It would be great if Greg Dyke had the balls to stand up to FIFA and pulled out of their association in protest. It might just be the catalyst for football to regain its senses.

I think I agree. I assume that if we did, we wouldn't be able to play internationals, and they would presumably put pressure on UEFA to exclude FA-regulated clubs from the Champions League and the mickey mouse euro cup. The FA would have to get the PL on side (or just do it anyway, I guess) and would also have to be confident that other national regulatory bodies would follow suit, thus allowing a rival to FIFA to be developed. It's happened in lots of other sports (darts and boxing, for example), so it could happen. Hell of a risk of being left out to dry though...

 

[Triggaaar]

I think I agree. I assume that if we did, we wouldn't be able to play internationals, and they would presumably put pressure on UEFA to exclude FA-regulated clubs from the Champions League and the mickey mouse euro cup. The FA would have to get the PL on side (or just do it anyway, I guess) and would also have to be confident that other national regulatory bodies would follow suit, thus allowing a rival to FIFA to be developed. It's happened in lots of other sports (darts and boxing, for example), so it could happen. Hell of a risk of being left out to dry though...

Why take that risk? You'd be better finding some allies first, like the US and 1 other big European nation, like Germany.

 

[Gullflyinghigh]

I think I agree. I assume that if we did, we wouldn't be able to play internationals, and they would presumably put pressure on UEFA to exclude FA-regulated clubs from the Champions League and the mickey mouse euro cup. The FA would have to get the PL on side (or just do it anyway, I guess) and would also have to be confident that other national regulatory bodies would follow suit, thus allowing a rival to FIFA to be developed. It's happened in lots of other sports (darts and boxing, for example), so it could happen. Hell of a risk of being left out to dry though...

I always thought that leaving FIFA would mean that no English club would be able to participate in any FIFA sanctioned tournament, which all of them (CL included) are.

I don't think they'd need to convince UEFA of anything as they're a member organisation of FIFA, not a partner...

Or, have I got that all horribly wrong?

 

[marshy68]

We should have told FIFA to do one and boycott all international tornies and set up a clear and transparent alternative FIFA. If you build it they will come!

 

[Triggaaar]

We should have told FIFA to do one and boycott all international tornies and set up a clear and transparent alternative FIFA. If you build it they will come!

Who would come to a tournament with just one other country in it? We need to get them on side first. If the US were with us, I'd imagine the sponsors would take note. It wouldn't take many to make a difference.

 

[yxee]

I love the job title of the guy who wrote the report: "independent ethics adjudicator"

Who do they think they are kidding?

 

[Mowgli37]

You couldn't make it up.

 

[halbpro]

Who would come to a tournament with just one other country in it? We need to get them on side first. If the US were with us, I'd imagine the sponsors would take note. It wouldn't take many to make a difference.

I think if you could get us, Spain, Germany, the US, Brazil, an African country (maybe Ghana?) and an Asian country (Japan or South Korea I would think) to agree to something in principle that'd be enough to turn the tide. I would suppose that the US may well want some things from a commercial stand point though, and you'd also run the risk of setting up a two tier system, similar to the divide between Test playing and non-Test playing nations in cricket.

 

[Triggaaar]

I think if you could get us, Spain, Germany, the US, Brazil, an African country (maybe Ghana?) and an Asian country (Japan or South Korea I would think) to agree to something in principle that'd be enough to turn the tide.

I don't even think you'd need all those. But you would need to do it with some, rather than alone.

I would suppose that the US may well want some things from a commercial stand point though

Some things like what?

and you'd also run the risk of setting up a two tier system, similar to the divide between Test playing and non-Test playing nations in cricket.

I don't think that would be acceptable. It should be similar to how it is now, but without the corruption.

 

[Scoffers]

FIFA couldn't organise their way out of a paper bag!

No, they would simply deny that they were ever in a paper bag in the first place

 

[Goldstone1976]

Why take that risk? You'd be better finding some allies first, like the US and 1 other big European nation, like Germany.

Yep, you're probably right.

I always thought that leaving FIFA would mean that no English club would be able to participate in any FIFA sanctioned tournament, which all of them (CL included) are.

I don't think they'd need to convince UEFA of anything as they're a member organisation of FIFA, not a partner...

Or, have I got that all horribly wrong?

Hmmm - I'm not sure, tbh. I think you're right...

 

[halbpro]

I don't even think you'd need all those. But you would need to do it with some, rather than alone.

I don't think you do necessarily, but I think if you've got at least one country for major markets then there's less chance of it all falling apart and having to return to FIFA, tail between our legs.

Some things like what?

Perhaps some elements like time outs to support broadcasters in the US, although I think they have accepted that football/soccer can be somewhat successful in the US now in its current format.

I don't think that would be acceptable. It should be similar to how it is now, but without the corruption.

I agree, a two tier system would be terrible.

 

[vegster]

I always thought that leaving FIFA would mean that no English club would be able to participate in any FIFA sanctioned tournament, which all of them (CL included) are.

I don't think they'd need to convince UEFA of anything as they're a member organisation of FIFA, not a partner...

Or, have I got that all horribly wrong?

Don't forget that the FA have to keep filling Wembley with international fixtures in order to pay for the huge debt they amassed by building it. If we drop out of FIFA no international teams will be allowed to play England and the FA have a huge white elephant on their hands.

 

[marshy68]

Who would come to a tournament with just one other country in it? We need to get them on side first. If the US were with us, I'd imagine the sponsors would take note. It wouldn't take many to make a difference.

yep you are of course right - I reckon we might be able to persuade the Germans, Italians and maybe the spanis, as you say the US would be a good one. We have to start somewhere though and I would be totally happy if the FA said right we are out they are totally corrupt. Its time we took the game we invented back. Not likely that we are going to win anything any time soon so wouldnt be a big miss!