Panorama 830 TONIGHT More FIFA scandal

[Billy the Fish]

One thing that nobody ever mentions is the culture of bribery in the rest of the world. In Africa, Asia and South America backhanders apparently aren't looked on as badly as it is in Northern Europe and the US.

All the calls to disband FIFA are only coming from us. To the rest of the world a lot of this behaviour is overlooked, that is how it's been allowed to happen for so long - nobody gave a crap!!!

Remember that it's only because a) the US didn't get 2022 and b) the US had jurisdiction over some transactions and has flexed it's muscle, that any of this is happening.

 

[scwiffy]

One thing that nobody ever mentions is the culture of bribery in the rest of the world. In Africa, Asia and South America backhanders apparently aren't looked on as badly as it is in Northern Europe and the US.

All the calls to disband FIFA are only coming from us. To the rest of the world a lot of this behaviour is overlooked, that is how it's been allowed to happen for so long - nobody gave a crap!!!

Remember that it's only because a) the US didn't get 2022 and b) the US had jurisdiction over some transactions and has flexed it's muscle, that any of this is happening.

Extremely true, bribery is almost an excepted culture in most African nations. Similar in Central and South America, when I went to Brazil you had to pay the police at road stops just to continue driving on the road. Interestingly the Brazilian public are now fed up and trying to change things but (similar to Fifa) its no easy task.

I would say that bribery is only taken seriously in highly developed countries (depending on where you draw your "developed" line), but its clearly a problem in Asia. China in particular - especially regarding Football. Just look at all the high-profile players and coaches to go out there and subsequently quit because of corruption in the sport (Drogba, Lippi).

Sadly it seems we're in the minority.

 

[The Camel]

What % of football fans would be upset / annoyed if England boycotted 2018 and 2022?

I'm thinking most people would say don't go.

 

[Pavilionaire]

It was Sarkozy and not Hollande, however, everything else that Pavilionaire intimated was correct.

Yep, I got my Presidents mixed up. I really think the Russia World Cup should be binned now and replaced with a Euro 18 tournament. Russia should get to host it but I can't see how FIFA can put on a WC tournament until they've disbanded and the organisation is recast. New FIFA can then hold a proper vote for WC 2022 while Qatar can do one.

 

[Surrey_Albion]

England should, right now, declare their intention to refuse to participate in either of the next two World Cups unless the whole process is re-run.

would be great if this was to happen but personally I don't think the FA are whiter than white and corruption is rife there too

 

[sully]

would be great if this was to happen but personally I don't think the FA are whiter than white and corruption is rife there too

Indeed. There appeared to be a bit of discomfort from the FA reps as well.

Also, I'm sure I heard that Australia had bunged money to CONCACAF, too (that ended up in Jack Warner's bank account), so nobody really comes out with any credit.

It's not as simple as disbanding FIFA. Pretty much all the national federations need to be scrapped and reformed as well or they just carry on as they were with a new name. There's no easy fix.

 

[Stato]

"I told you he was a crook" and he did for more than 15 years.

He told the world in 2010, 3 days before the awarding of those 2 world cups and was pilloried-even Cameron had a dig, along with countless others. Most of the rest of the world took great delight in saying England's claims were merely 'sour grapes'.

"I told you he was crook" was a fitting way to close the programme.

Now it is time for football to start again by closing down FIFA and cancelling both World Cups.

Watched this on catch up tonight. Andy Jennings could barely contain the schadenfreude and you have to appreciate how vindicated he must be feeling as the FBI bring the house of cards down. It was easy to forgive the programme makers for laying the eccentricity on a bit thick especially as the accompanying music was so perfectly chosen. Jennings as Columbo getting a chance to smile smugly at those he knew had done the crime all along was a pleasurable way to spend an hour even accepting that, with many investigations ongoing, the programme couldn't present a lot of new evidence.