Qatar set to lose World Cup?

[Greavsey]

You couldn't make it up could you? What a surprise the country that has been most vociferous in opposition to FIFA and calling for an independant review is the one who comes out of the report with all of the accusations.

This is a classic paragraph from the report on the BBC site:
"As for Russia, they have also been cleared, although the report noted its bid team made "only a limited amount of documents available for review. According to the report, the Russian team hired computers that were subsequently destroyed, denying the inquiry access to email accounts."

Well I'm glad that doesn't look suspicious at all then! I hate FIFA and all they stand for, they are the reason why I am falling out of love with the game. I still like it. But no longer love as I did growing up.

 

[Mileoakman]

As much as I would love us to grow some balls and pull out of the world cup and FIFA, there is no way it will happen because FIFA would probably place a ban on all foreign players being allowed to play in England. I can just see the Premier League falling in with that.

 

[Gullflyinghigh]

As much as I would love us to grow some balls and pull out of the world cup and FIFA, there is no way it will happen because FIFA would probably place a ban on all foreign players being allowed to play in England. I can just see the Premier League falling in with that.

If we pulled out of Fifa then I'm pretty sure the PL would be more concerned at the complete lack of European football then available to them (if my understanding is correct anyway).

As for a player ban, they wouldn't need to have one, any player that signed for an English club would lose the chance to play in any FIFA sanctioned tournaments (everything)...why would they do that voluntarily?

 

[Jim D]

As much as I would love us to grow some balls and pull out of the world cup and FIFA, there is no way it will happen because FIFA would probably place a ban on all foreign players being allowed to play in England. I can just see the Premier League falling in with that.

If we pulled out of FIFA how could they enforce a ban? All they could do is threaten the foreign players with not playing for their countries. After that it would be a straight question: your country or bucket loads of cash. I think I could predict the answer in most cases and if that happened it would devalue any other event where they would have played.

 

[The Large One]

Jesus wept. FIFA - the comedy outfit that just keeps giving...

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

The findings of Fifa's inquiry into allegations of corruption in the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding process have been questioned - by the man who conducted the two-year investigation into the claims.

In a stunning twist, American lawyer Michael Garcia says the 42-page report issued earlier on Thursday "contains numerous materially incomplete and erroneous representations of the facts and conclusions".

 

[fruitnveg]

Jesus wept. FIFA - the comedy outfit that just keeps giving...

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

The findings of Fifa's inquiry into allegations of corruption in the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding process have been questioned - by the man who conducted the two-year investigation into the claims.

In a stunning twist, American lawyer Michael Garcia says the 42-page report issued earlier on Thursday "contains numerous materially incomplete and erroneous representations of the facts and conclusions".

That is bloody hilarious. Well played FIFA, well played!

 

[tinycowboy]

I think that the England bid may have been slightly compromised if the allegations are true, but, oh dear FIFA, you are looking like the world's most idiotic, shambolic joke of an organisation.

 

[Hillian1]

Looks like they forgot to bribe Garcia.

He really needs to go public now and publish the report in full.

 

[maltaseagull]

Jesus wept. FIFA - the comedy outfit that just keeps giving...

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

The findings of Fifa's inquiry into allegations of corruption in the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding process have been questioned - by the man who conducted the two-year investigation into the claims.

In a stunning twist, American lawyer Michael Garcia says the 42-page report issued earlier on Thursday "contains numerous materially incomplete and erroneous representations of the facts and conclusions".

Absolute joke!

 

[Gullflyinghigh]

Jesus wept. FIFA - the comedy outfit that just keeps giving...

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

The findings of Fifa's inquiry into allegations of corruption in the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding process have been questioned - by the man who conducted the two-year investigation into the claims.

In a stunning twist, American lawyer Michael Garcia says the 42-page report issued earlier on Thursday "contains numerous materially incomplete and erroneous representations of the facts and conclusions".

I like this Michael Garcia fellow, obviously takes pride in his work and how he's represented. Good man.

 

[Mattywerewolf]

The biggest issue for me is actually that the whole bidding process was based on a summer World cup. If the bid was based on a winter World cup many of the representatives may well have voted differently (assuming the 'alleged' bribes were not big enough), and hence the vote should be rerun. Obviously this is an embarrassment to FIFA, but in reality they are such an embarrassment that they shouldn't be concerned about public opinion. I understand the need to promote the game in other corners of the Globe, but to run the vote on the wrong pretenses is farcical..To then try and deflect attention on the England bid makes me despair at the state of World football.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

This has suddenly, from being a really RUBBISH story, turned into an absolute STORMER.

The walls are closing in. Fantastic.

 

[Gullflyinghigh]

This has suddenly, from being a really RUBBISH story, turned into an absolute STORMER.

The walls are closing in. Fantastic.

To use NSC parlance; Fetch the Pringles!

 

[terryberry1]

This is just amazing, I really hope this Garcia bloke spills the beans on everything now. This could be the beginning of the end for Septic Bladder

 

[Eddiespearritt]

Absolutely staggering.

First there is clear evidence of corruption on the part of bid winning countries, provided only by diligent investigative journalism.

FIFA promises a thorough investigation.

Then the report is suppressed by FIFA.

Then they issue a re-written version - blaming the English !

Then the author of the original report says the re-written version isn't accurate.

Classic Blatter self-preservation - and guess what we're stuck with him and his antics for years to come.

 

[Greavsey]

Absolutely staggering.

First there is clear evidence of corruption on the part of bid winning countries, provided only by diligent investigative journalism.

FIFA promises a thorough investigation.

Then the report is suppressed by FIFA.

Then they issue a re-written version - blaming the English !

Then the author of the original report says the re-written version isn't accurate.

Classic Blatter self-preservation - and guess what we're stuck with him and his antics for years to come.

I bet Blatter still finds some way of wriggling out of this situation.

 

[Hiney]

You literally couldn't make this up

 

[Badger]

You literally couldn't make this up

You really couldn't, it reminds me of this chap during the Iraq war

 

[Brighton Mod]

So the future King of our country and David Beckham were supporting a corrupt bid to host the World Cup? The Prime Minister was also in on it as he hosted Blatter at 10 Downing Street and Blatter treated like a foreign dignitry when he knew all along that the bid was going to Quatar and then Russia. Never mind its gone to a country that has human rights abuses, suppresses women and has 40 degree heat to play in. Never mind Blatter will oversee the disruption of all European football and billions of pounds being spent on stadia, the legacy of this building spree will be? How long do we have to have these corrupt, self serving crooks running the game, if they push this too hard it may well lead to splits in the game.
Goal line technology, a fourth official coming later than many sports, the banning of PL teams playing games in other parts of the world ( re NFL looking for a wider market). BUt at least we have shaving foam on the ground at free kicks.. sometimes. FIFA is run on a feudal system, is corrupt to its core and is becoming more irrelevant.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

I was so DOWN about this report this morning. It felt like the last ever chance to finally nail them had gone.

I can't wait to hear Garcia's ACTUAL findings.