Should we blame the BBC? (Sorry if fixtures)

[Willow]

Really?! are you sure?!

Yes, otherwise there would be no point in digging it to it now, after the event, would there? And we all hope FIFA get a good turning over now. Anyway, I can't agree that it was wise to broadcast three days before the vote. You and others can. Meh.

 

[fatbadger]

If the Panorama and Sunday Times investigations had any impact, that reflects badly on FIFA, not on the BBC or the Sunday Times.

 

[drew]

I really hope the English media go all out now to rip FIFA apart bit by bit.

I know they'll have the support of millions of Aussie football fans who are in the same state of shock and their pommy cousins are.

Unfortunately, now that the World Cup isn't coming to England they will drop it like a dead duck because they will now argue that it 'isn't in the public interest'. Out the window go any altruistic intentions.

The fact that we went out in the first round suggests that the programme timing was irrelevant. If we had gone out in the last round to Russia then maybe your suggestion would be valid.

For the life of me I cannot see how you have reached that conclusion. In the lead up to the bid, the team believed they had secured enough votes to get into the second round. Post the programme that changed, especially as the delegates were being reminded of our media on the morning of the vote. If David Thompson knew about that he should resign his post on the committee and speak out.

Or maybe, just maybe, our media are independent enough to root out corruption without worrying about the consequences. If it was Panorama, The Times, The Sun or even the local village church newsletter that lost us the bid then GOOD. Maybe now the FA and the British Government can set about brining FIFA and cock features Blatter to task without worrying about if it will cost us a World Cup bid.

The media are sensationalists, including the BBC on this occassion. They are not going to pursue it any further.

To be honest, I think part of the blame should go to Andy Anson of the bid team, after he referred to the FIFA Exec committee in a press conference this week, as a 'brotherhood', which could infer that if one is crrupt then they all are. Not the best way to influence the vote our way. We have a habit of shooting ourselves in the foot.

Good luck to Qatar and Russia, as we can't change anything now.

That's a bit tenuous. Fifa are always referring to the Family of Football so not sure Anson is at fault (especially as there are no women on the executive and, to the best of my knowledge, none of the existing members now wish to referred to as a 'sister'!!!).

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Christ, that's twice I've agreed with westdene this year! Spot on lad, FIFA are so corrupt the only good thing about 2018 & 2022 world cups is that Slap Blatter & his other criminal cronies will likely be dead by then. Still, the next bunch of Nigerians, Secret Swiss etc will no doubt replace 'em and the circus will continue. Anyone who thinks our media are to blame are clearly in need of help to correct their short sight. English values of honesty and fair play have survived. That's why everyone hates us. Because we ARE morally superior to most nationalities on this, god's earth.

And the years not even over yet

 

[Tooting Gull]

The BBC have had nothing to do with this overall result whatsoever. We are talking a marginal difference if at all, maybe the difference between going out in the first round or the second round. Russia clearly had this vote covered all ends up.

The fact Blatter basically told everyone not to vote for England is a disgrace. Any idiot can separate the functions of the media, the state, and the bid team, and not blame one for the activities of the other. Unless of course they are all one and the same, a country where if you are a journalist stepping out of line you get shot. Like, err, Russia for example. Blatter doesn't need to worry about any investigation there.

 

[Questions]

I think we can at least partly blame the BBC. Investigate fine, but the timing was just sensationalism. I hope they're proud of themselves.

Mind you, I think a large chunk of the media in this country are disgraceful.

If you are going to claim an election is crooked and rigged, best to mention it before the event I would have thought.

 

[Willow]

The BBC have had nothing to do with this overall result whatsoever. We are talking a marginal difference if at all, maybe the difference between going out in the first round or the second round. Russia clearly had this vote covered all ends up.

The fact Blatter basically told everyone not to vote for England is a disgrace. Any idiot can separate the functions of the media, the state, and the bid team, and not blame one for the activities of the other. Unless of course they are all one and the same, a country where if you are a journalist stepping out of line you get shot. Like, err, Russia for example. Blatter doesn't need to worry about any investigation there.

So if Blatter told delegates not to vote for England, I assume this was because of our media? Which includes the BBC. I agree no one individual allegation resulted in our failure, but I really can't imagine any other country shooting themselves in the foot like we do.

 

[nwgull]

We got 2 votes in the 1st round, the 20 votes that went to the other nations would have been bought/decided months ago, the Panorama programme made no difference. As others have said, it may have made a difference to the second/third choice votes, but probably not.

Russia doesn't strike me as a great place for a world cup, but at least they play the game there. The choice of Qatar has really pissed me off and shows up the corruption in FIFA. This is an oil rich nation that has no sporting pedigree and is so rich that it buys in athletes to represent them in international sport. It's not as if the World Cup could make any sort of difference to poorer communities in Qatar, because there aren't any!!

 

[Rowdey]

So if Blatter told not delegates not to vote for England, I assume this was because of our media? Which includes the BBC. I agree no one individual allegation resulted in our failure, but I really can't imagine any other country shooting themselves in the foot like we do.

Have to say i'm with Willow and drew here - Blatter specifically rounded on all delegates, today (i think) and essentially said 'Be aware of the media and press when you make your decision'
It's a clear marker in my view - Vote for England, and you are voting against me (and my wishes)

 

[westy1983]

Nothing to do with the BBC. It's not as if the FIFA Exco or 'Brotherhood' as Blatter calls them too, would have had no idea about the contents of this program if it had gone out after the bid.

Blatter gets what he wants, that's why he has people like Reynald TEMARII as a FIFA vice president, a guy from Tahiti deciding on the future of the world cup.

 

[fatbadger]

The choice of Qatar has really pissed me off and shows up the corruption in FIFA. This is an oil rich nation that has no sporting pedigree and is so rich that it buys in athletes to represent them in international sport. It's not as if the World Cup could make any sort of difference to poorer communities in Qatar, because there aren't any!!

Although I agree with your point about Qatar being unsuitable (although I would specify moral corruption), I must take issue with the point in your last sentence. There are a lot of very poor people in Qatar, including bonded labourers and perhaps the majority of the non-citizen residents (and two-thirds of the population aren't citizens).

 

[philsussex]

Blame the BBC?

Jeez - ffs - blame the corroupt **********************

 

[The Large One]

Anyone blaming the BBC has no concept of politics.

Andy Anson may be criticised for the England team's bid, but that's a meaningless gesture. England will NEVER get the World Cup all the while Blatter is in charge, after he decided in 2002 never to vote for England after the FA voted for his opponent for the FIFA Presidency. The FA saw long ago that FIFA was rotten to the core, and decided to make a token gesture in trying to change it. It failed, and instead chose to grease its ringpiece this time round. Add to that the mad fuckwit that is Jack Warner, and the BBC come in well back by a pisspoor distance of people to hang any blame on.

Someone in the world of serious journalism needs to blow the lid on FIFA, and I would have no problem if it was the BBC who kept on their case.

 

[Tooting Gull]

Have to say i'm with Willow and drew here - Blatter specifically rounded on all delegates, today (i think) and essentially said 'Be aware of the media and press when you make your decision'
It's a clear marker in my view - Vote for England, and you are voting against me (and my wishes)

No argument on that score, that is exactly what he did. But there is no logical link between things like Panorama, and the strength of our bid. So if Blatter has used that (as you correctly point out he did) to steer everyone away from England, he has a lot to answer for. If a judge had summed up like that in a court of law to the jury, you could challenge or appeal.

My own view is that Russians had it in the bag ages ago for a stack of roubles in some private bank accounts and various 'projects' worldwide. If the BBC are guilty of anything it is of providing him with an excuse. It certainly didn't help, though I think it may only have affected the round we exited, but not a hanging offence in the bigger picture.

 

[nwgull]

Although I agree with your point about Qatar being unsuitable (although I would specify moral corruption), I must take issue with the point in your last sentence. There are a lot of very poor people in Qatar, including bonded labourers and perhaps the majority of the non-citizen residents (and two-thirds of the population aren't citizens).

My knowledge of Qatar is admittedly 2nd hand from my dad who's done a bit of engineering design work out there, and his view of the country seems to be similar to yours in that poverty amongst Qataris is non existent, but there are plenty of foreigners (mostly Indians from what he saw) who are allowed to come and do the jobs that the Qataris see as beneath them, and they obviously don't lead such an easy life. However I can't see how any of the financial or social benefit of the World Cup in Qatar is going to reach these guys!

 

[westy1983]

Anyone blaming the BBC has no concept of politics.

Andy Anson may be criticised for the England team's bid, but that's a meaningless gesture. England will NEVER get the World Cup all the while Blatter is in charge, after he decided in 2002 never to vote for England after the FA voted for his opponent for the FIFA Presidency. The FA saw long ago that FIFA was rotten to the core, and decided to make a token gesture in trying to change it. It failed, and instead chose to grease its ringpiece this time round. Add to that the mad fuckwit that is Jack Warner, and the BBC come in well back by a pisspoor distance of people to hang any blame on.

Someone in the world of serious journalism needs to blow the lid on FIFA, and I would have no problem if it was the BBC who kept on their case.

Buy and read the book Foul by Andrew Jennings I think on this exact subject! It's already written!

 

[nwgull]

Anyone blaming the BBC has no concept of politics.

Add to that the mad fuckwit that is Jack Warner, and the BBC come in well back by a pisspoor distance of people to hang any blame on.

Jack Warner takes the piss. The FA has virtually been sucking him off for the past 3-4 years with all they've done to try and win his vote (and influence on other votes), including sending the England team out to play a friendly with T&T and when it comes to it he's let them down.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Russia had already started building the stadia needed for the bid. Is that a common practice?

 

[philsussex]

Russia had already started building the stadia needed for the bid. Is that a common practice?

Maybe under the new 'rules'

 

[portlock seagull]

I agree with the comments about Jack Warner, the Robert Mugabe of the footballing world. His conduct alone when speaking to Andrew Jennings was all you needed to know about the man. A virtual dictator in the virtual world that is FIFA. Poison. Absolute scum who is worthy of the utter contempt the FA should now hold him in.