大象传媒

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So, basically what you're saying is no, Blatter is not in danger, but bin Hammam has probably just sabotaged his own campaign in an effort to bring Blatter down that will never work because Blatter is too smart to get caught.

This is the kind of thing where FIFA needs a verdict like in Scotland - 'not proven', which basically means 'we know you did it, we just can't quite prove it'.

But yeah, abysmal bunch of human beings. If football in general, let alone FIFA itself, is to retain any credibility, the whole system needs an overhaul, starting with kicking out every senior member.

I hope Blatter goes down and there is a complete restructuring of FIFA. It's a complete disgrace that in this day and age there is so little transparency in such a huge influential organization.


ps... small type: thiis

On top of all thiis comes the FA's own report on the corruption claims made by former chairman Lord Triesman.

Create Another Footballing Governing Body And Leave FIFA Once And For ALL

This has been an accident waiting to happen.
It seems that most people sense that this has been going on its just taken a while for it to come out into the open.
I wouldn't be a bit suprised if a lot more muck is brought up in the wake of any investigations.
I concur with many who think there should be a root and branch review, the mission being to ensure that the structure, working practcises and members of FIFA are impeccable.
It currently feels extremely seedy with a lack of real accountability.
An election next week would be a complete farce but somehow given how FIFA is run, anything's possible.

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I definitely think that Byron Moreno the Ecuadorian official should be considered as the next head of FIFA. This gentleman has all the credentials to be a worthy President of FIFA . Please read about him on Google.

Blatter should resign, however he wants to spin this latest sordid chapter in a long list of scandals on his watch if he has any integerity he should go and take the rest of the FIFA Executive Committee with him.

Only by reforming FIFA, UEFA, CONCAFF etc can any credibilty be restored to any of the football authorities.

Oh yes, and I believe that Qatar and Russian should have the awarding of the World Cup suspended until a thorough independent investigation is carried out.

The moment a tiny country with a tiny population, zero footballing history, infrastructure, or talent, got 'awarded' the world cup, alarm bells should have rung so loudly in everyones ears that they were almost deafened.

We all know that FIFA needs to be disbanded, or at least all the 'top' officials need to be removed and a restructuring process started immediately, either giving every nation an equal vote, or at the very least removing the power from a select few who only care about what they can personally get from being in charge.
Until this is done, no-one can have any faith in any decision made by the incumbents, nor for that matter, the organisation itself, either demand a complete overhaul, or get out of this 'sick' edifice and run our own countries sport the way it should be run, for the fans.

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The chances of Blatter resigning and doing the "decent" thing rival that of Ghadaffi legging it from Tripoli. The long Presidential terms at FIFA are the problem as power corrupts and he desires to set his legacy. In all of this brouhaha there is little mention of UEFA: it is unlikely that the Blatter leopard changed his spots when he took on the FIFA crown.

In the previous blog I articulated that FIFA change jurisdiction to say the USA where financial regulations of organzations are stricter and more transparent. Swiss rules on banking secrecy also turn a blind eye to other practices that are not exactly above the law.

The election should be called off which would allow a thorough investigation to take place. But if it is an internal FIFA run affair what will change? What are the chances of a whitewash?

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So FIFA are investigating themselves. As they say in Sicily, "one hand washes the other".

*Yawn* yet another article anti-Blatter. Does the Anglophone world really have nothing better to do than to deem a man guilty of bribery and failing to report an offer without even a smell of an investigation. DISGUSTING! Hang your head in shame 大象传媒.

You would all do well to remember that it's innocent until proven guilty, imagine the uproar if the head of FA was deemed guilty of such things without any evidence

I like how Platini said corruption was a wider problem, not just in football. He basically did the childish - "other people do it too!"

It is time that England left FIFA. How can we remain part of this organisation shot through with dodgy delaings and dodgy dealers?

We would be better off starting something rather less full of its own self-importance, and rather more interested in football and its fans.

Supersonic4;

Caught yourself a big n' yet?

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If corruption is rife at FIFA HQ, Blatter is the one who should be dealing with it. Failing that, then he's either incompetent or condoning the activities of his corrupt officials. What can we say about Mr Blatter?...he has failed to introduce modern technologies to help certain aspects of football, even though there's a vociferous call them, and now this accusation that he was aware of the allegations of corruption but chose to ignore it.

The way world cups are allocated bear an uncanny resemblence to MP's expense claims. The individuals involved will all claim they did nothing wrong but there is no doubt that both systems stink and are wide open to abuse. Until the systems are changed then these individuals will contine to take personal advantage.

We obviously shouldn't presume guilt, but guilty or not holding the elections is not tenable now.

That said, I fear that for as long as Blatter is the head of FIFA, and FIFA is based in Switzerland, he can do what he wants. The shortcomings of holding this election are no more blatant than the voting irregularities connected to the Netherlands/Belgium world cup bid. But Blatter got his way then, and I believe that he will get his way now.

Lord Triesman also said Spain would win the WC and Russia would end up as hosts.

I really hope that something positive will come out of this farce. Blatter and company should go and FIFA itself must be reorganised. I cannot really understand how this organisation can have so much power, so much more than any government and can dictate what happens with football in the country; this gives those administrators the inflated belief they can do as they like. Really, these power-hungry and egotistic men need to be put out to pasture and for a long time.

I hope Sepp Blatter survives - he stopped the Premier League playing a 39th round of games overseas, so they could fleece more millions from fans.

Why a witch hunt has started against him is beyond me, we need to take a look closer to home. Is our own game corruption free? can we ever root out corruption?

This anti-Blatter campaign only started after England lost out on hosting the world cup. The fickleness in this country never ceases to amaze me. The football world does not revolve around this country. The Premier League is fools gold, all the clubs have been engaging in "financial doping". No Premier League clubs believe in young English talent. I hope they all go bankrupt.

Did I read Platini saying something to the affect Blatter is whiter than white, and that he (Platini) himself is incorruptible? Never was the expression 'Self praise is no praise' better suited. These people have brought FIFA to the brink. No more need be said about Blatter, but even if you ignore where Platini spent his halcyon club days, in light of his backing for Blatter's bringing football to new 'frontiers' while at the same time being instrumental in France beating Turkey to hosting its 3rd major football tournament in the last 30 years, while the latter will have to wait a while more for its first one, not to mention the extortionate ticket prices for the CL Final on the eve of 'Financial Fair Play', with his former disgraced employer reportedly set to invest 100m on players in a league devoid of spectators, it's time for the FA to step out onto the Rue de la Tour de France and be counted and do something about the diet of The Godfather.

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The vote to give Qatar and Russia the World Cup just says it all. I hope the World cup bidding will have to start again.

Nav Sandhu - can I come and live in your world? It seems much better than mine.

Blatter and his cronies should be tied backwards on a horse and whipped out of town. Bunch of charletons.

FIFA is a disgrace and shames football. Kept in place by weak national Football Associations.

@18 - I don't understand

@26 - thank goodness, I was beginning to think everyone else had been brainwashed into thinking Blatter is the devil reincarnate! I'm sure if England won the right to host it then Blatter would be everyone's best friend!

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Blatter in danger? Nah, he'll be there until he's got one his own to take over. These dinos aren't going to become extinct any time soon. Best to start again with a new organisation with new people and a new ethos involving transparency and honesty.
Blatter's world cup? He can keep it.

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Dear Moderation team-My last comment should of read AS A REFEREE. I am not writing anything that is not a fact. If my sarcasm contravenes anything which is libelous towards FIFA and you dont want to publish it for that reason, of course I understand. The fact is you can either laugh or cry at FIFA and being in football myself and knowing some of what has gone on ,I hide my tears with sarcasm.

The game between South Korea-Italy in the World Cup in 2002 was a watershed for FIFA. After this they knew or believed that they could get away with anything and and for the next 9 years they have.BUT as David Bond wrote they have finaly reached their "Resevoir Dogs" ending.

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Blatter will be OK done nothing wrong cant say any other on 大象传媒 or your comments are removed. No one can speak there minds in modern Britain

The most bitter sounding comments are, interestingly, coming from those English who are claiming that their FA and supposedly self-aggrandizing media just somehow cannot take losing the bid and that these are really the only reasons behind the allegations. That for me, as an outsider not living in the UK, is absolutely comical, short-sighted, and bordering on flagellation.

Anyway, here麓s what will happen: bin Hammam's presidency bid is now doomed. The vote will go on and Blatter will get re-elected. There seems to be no outside force that can hold FIFA responsible for anything, so they'll just decide they can weather the storm and will lay low for a few months or years, releasing press news about fighting corruption here and there.

The only other forseeable option is that they decide to postpone the vote and get some nice-looking figurhead to divert the criticism - that would be only possible, however, if Blatter really loses his footing. None of the evidence given so far is irrefutable and we all know it.

What is happening is essentially like a power struggle within a communist politburo in the 1960's - the figureheads in charge may change, but the organization is here to stay. The only way to get the organisation out of the way is revolution.

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aslongastheyqualify-WE are not bitter at England not getting the 2018 World Cup.I am sure Russia will put on a good show.What some of us are annoyed at is that some very repected individuals in this country were made to look absolute idiots by Blatter and FIFA when there were two hopes of getting the "games". Bob Hope and NO Hope .Maybe we should of joined the"club" and offered the executive committee of FIFA an invitation to the Royal Wedding and given them front row seats at Westminster Abbey, however not very ethical, but no matter, Russia has just as much right as anybody else in Europe of getting the games.
What some of us are concerned at and this obviously does not apply to you is QATAR getting the 2022 World Cup. But I expect that FIFA executive and delegates know best and all in all that QATAR is a much more sensible place to hold the games in July with shade temperatures of 45 degrees in the desert as opposed to winter in Sydney, Melbourne, Aderlaide,Brisbane etc.I dont understand in a million years why FRANZ BECKENBAUER voted for Australia? Was he stupid or something? All the other voters got it spot on "aslongasthey qualify" didn't they?

'Russia has just as much right as anybody else in Europe of getting the games.'

Apart from the the fact it is rife with racism, especially at football matches. Hardly a country deserving of the World Cup.

But yeh, Qatar was the real shocker. There's no good reason whatsoever for that to have the World Cup.

Foscari, the FA played a friendly in Trinidad in 2008. Why? Its obvious. They knew exactly what they were doing, it was an open secret. If you want somebody to blame, then i suggest you and the FA take a look in the mirror. We dont deserve the World Cup anyway - the England national team is always an afterthought for the junkies hooked on the Premier League, a competition full of foreign players. We probably would have ended up going out in the group stages. Maybe we should concentrate on building a world class national side first? Thats impossible with the way the PL operates.

I aint buying into this rubbish that Sepp Blatter is evil personified. Hes taking the World Cup to countries who havent hosted before. He also stopped the 39th game garbage that Scudamore was selling. why isnt there a witchhunt against Scudamore?

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@45 - but what's the point in a bid and a presentation and us spending millions of pounds then? Why not just say 'we're going to give the World Cup to a nothing nation which hasn't had it before' Our country is a passionate football nation and is perfect for staging the World Cup. Russia and especially Qatar cannot compare.

How can you argue Qatar deserves the World Cup? Honestly? It was about money. Bribery. Nothing else.

Sadly there's always fools like you who can't see what's staring them in the face. It's because of people like you that Blatter and FIFA have been getting away with it for years. Shameful.

@45,

I am truly amazed that anyone can defend Blatter and by extension FIFA, if you cannot grasp how angry the real fans are about the smell coming out of FIFA HQ than I am shocked at your naivety.

Here in the Netherlands we (the football fans) want nothing to do with Blatter, and I can assure you that in Spain they also feel the same way, so please stop throwing strawman arguments into the mix (e.g. UK fans are jealous or FA premier league might have 39 games), this just makes any argument you are trying to make to defend the indefensible sound hollow.

I will end in borrowing from post47 and say Shameful, utterly shameful.

Blatter choice for the last championship in South Africa should be analysed as well.

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If someone who truly loved the game e.g. Suart Pearce was head of Fifa he would say "look - here are my bank accounts, my outgoings, my income - complete transparency - you can check every detail". That would put end to the controversy once and for all.

Mr Blatter does not do that. He does not think that would be a good idea. Does he not care about the game? For one reason or the other, he values his own privacy above the entire sports reputation. Not the right man for the job.

Blatter stinks like rotten eggs and Platini is not better

I'm sorry, but... I really do have to ask.

Has David Bond ever been a mobile phone salesman?

Is it really coincidental that:
- the only time Blatter & Co. took initiative to find corrupt officials was against someone who opposes them? And before Hammam & Warner challenged him, Blatter said both men are 100% incorruptible?
- the allegations are prepared in such a scrupulous way (sworn affidavitis) and by a big US law firm? As if someone was waiting for bribe to happen. Looks like a clever trap to me.
Just watch UEFA leaders joy at Barca win and how personal congratulations has gotten. Hugs, kisses flying from Platini & Co. down to Barca players, friendship and love all around. I don't recall such sympathy towards Inter last year.

Ah well, Hiddink is getting back to Chelsea. Platini and his Vice President choosing refs for all CL games, who happens to be life-long Barcelona fan, have to come up with something better than Ovrebo to beat Chelsea next year.

A seldom mentioned issue is that the Swiss authorities allow international sporting bodies to act with impunity, without any regard for financial or ethical transparency. If FIFA had to obey rules like all other corporations, then corruption would, at least, be easier to detect; or harder to hide.

In Switzerland, where I live, this laissez-faireism is seldom raised. Although, ONE elected politician and ONE newspaper are calling for changes to the Swiss law.

Supersonic what ever you are smoking I want some. Did you not see the Panarma programs? Well let me refresh you memory the allegations go right to the top. As for its sour grapes for losing the world cup no my friend it started before we lost the world cup which will be an unmitigated disaster in Russia. A more racist and unplesant country you will find hard to discover. I seriously fear for the African teams when they go there.

Fifa investigate themselve turkeys dont vote for christmas. Fifa will carry on with the untouchable attitude they currently have. The only way is to leave and form your own world organisation. The trouble is that the little countries wont follow they get more power with the status quo

Ok so the new fifa will have spain, holland and england. Damm we will still finish third in the world cup

Russia for the cup ....OK but Qatar just equals money!!!!!

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A fat swiss man as head of world football? Has he ever played a professional game of football in his life?

Football is joke.

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I see there's a lot of English folk STILL in whiney-whine mode after utterly failing to get the World Cup. Guys, it was hardly like you were just pipped at the post due to some borderline chicanery - you were nowhere near getting it, not even at the races.

I mean really. Isn't it time to just man up and admit that actually, the rest of the world simply doesn't want a World Cup in a country that no-one really likes that much? Just sayin...

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Imagine if the FA had not hidden behind legalese and abstention, and instead fielded its own candidate, a clean pair of hands to be a substitute - someone credible, like Lord Coe, perhaps? Every neutral would be piling up to vote for him. But the FA, just like FIFA, doesn't want to take the responsibility of cleaning up. It wants to make a little noise here, a little there, but by and large let sleeping dogs lie.
Blatter will be re-elected, and the noises will die down. What a shame.

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Your report suggests that handing out bundles of cash to buy votes for next week's election is far more serious than not acting to bring such act of malfeasance to the attention of the Fifa executive committee. Surely either of these acts, if proven, would be sufficiently grave to remove their perpetrator from any office whatsoever at FIFA?

Given the allegations currently being levelled at a number of FIFA members, is it now now time for a fully independent investigation to be launched into the organisation? I would suggest that, if it is found that there is a prima facie case to be answered by any member, that member should be suspended until the investigation is completed.

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62.At 02:56 29th May 2011, G_K___ wrote:
I see there's a lot of English folk STILL in whiney-whine mode after utterly failing to get the World Cup.

I like your Scottish reasoning - England didn't get the World Cup so that prevents us from any further discussion or critiscism of FIFA. That makes sense.

And "just sayin..." perhaps you'd better sort your own nasty bigotted game out (yes the world loves that) before laying into anyone else.

Emilio Heskey wanabe, your hypocrisy is astounding. You seem to know everything about Sepp Blatter yet dont know anything about football in Russia or the Arab world. I take it you dont have ESPN. How dare you demean those two nations? Have you ever been there? Have you ever watched any league games from those two nations? Hang you head in shame. Im happy England didnt get the world cup, just so that it annoyed ignorant, arrogant know it alls like you.

Nobody told the FA to bid. Nobody told the showpony Mr quarter finals to get involved. They did it of their own free will but they need to understand that the footballing world doesnt revolve around England. Not everybody likes the state of football in this country - the Premier League is a disgrace.

As for corruption, i suggest you try watching a Panorama episode from september 2006, which involved your beloved, holier than thou English football. Have a word with Mike Newell and a few other classy guys. Otherwise keep your pompous opinions to yourself.

All hail Seppy.

Please, I think the FA should just get over it. Yes, they never got the world cup and yes, there prob was some dodgy dealings for the others to get the world cup but hey, take a look at our parliment for example and of course the FA arent exactly got a good track record either. Think the FA should just work from within as at the moment they are rattling everyones cage and its beginning to sound like a broken record and sour grapes.

I bumped into Sepp Blatter in Fenwicks in Bond Street when I was buying some suspenders for Mrs Odicean recently. At least, I think it was Sepp Blatter. He seems just an ordinary bloke, going about his business in a calm and diligent (if rather furtive), way.

We had a brief conversation about the merits of the diamond formation and he said he was off to Hatton Garden to do some more research. That was all. Just a normal bloke going about his business.

With the seemingly imminent implosion of FIFA and with personal family ties to Switzerland I make this impassioned plea to the Swiss Authorities to take control of this desperate situation. Switzerland has long stood for Justice and equality 鈥� it is now time for that nation to courageously intervene and at the very least investigate its own nationals when allegations of wrongdoing have been made. Switzerland you have it in your grasp to play a significant role on the stage of World opinion 鈥� Bring the Swiss registered FIFA to book and show that ethics are important to sport, especially to the most popular of all 鈥� Football!

The only way to change the structure of FIFA is with action. We should boycott the world cup in Russia and Qatar and hold our own competition, the commonwealth cup instead.... Invite the top ranked 16 commonwealth countries plus India, China and USA and a couple of teams who don't qualify for the World Cup, get Beckham and Prince William to promote it and refuse to take part in any FIFA events until total transparency and restructure is apparent. We can still take part in UEFA events, and our team and supporters won't get caught up in the corruption and mafias of Russia or the frying conditions of the Gulf. Show some backbone and stand up to those crooks and kick them where it hurts by taking away some of their worldwide audience.

Can I vote for somebody? A double cheeseburger with fries and a strawberry milkshake will be fine. Just feeling peckish. Just tell me where I should put my cross.

You dont have to be an Einstein to make the conclusion that there may of been something UNETHICAL about the voting procedures concerning Qatar since Bin Haman has, so to speak been sin binned by FIFA. What is a worrying aspect is that we have been told that the Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022 bids were somehow interlocked. Warner has said that a Tsunami is about to break out over FIFA. I just hope there a few with integrity to really let us know what happened. To me, and of course I may be wrong because Sepp Blatter is a survivor, that the Swiss gentleman is a "dead man walking".

I hope not, but the more likely outcome:

(1) Blatter will be re-elected unopposed.
(2) Allegations against Blatter and his cronies will be swept under the carpet.
(3) Those who dare challenge Blatter will be destroyed, at least in the football world.
(4) Platini will continue in Blatter鈥檚 footsteps in four years鈥� time.
(5) Nothing will change.

Like I鈥檝e said before, 鈥淢ore Farce Than Football, More Soap Than 鈥楽occer鈥欌��

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If the English FA is typical of the 208 (?) FA members of FIFA then it is hardly surprising that FIFA is in such a mess.
Allow a system whereby a FIFA president can 'rule' for multiple terms and problems are bound to develop.
I hope the English FA's main focus is self-examination and self-improvement; figs might ply...........

@ 39 "I hope Sepp Blatter survives - he stopped the Premier League playing a 39th round of games overseas, so they could fleece more millions from fans."

Given that Blatter won't spend the cash FIFA have in improving the game for clubs in Asia and Africa (other than use the clubs as a boost for FIFA's coffers) then I don't think you have a clue my Son. Whatever the fault of 39th Game it's upto the EPL to make money for their product and many of their ideas have merit - FIFA should operate as non-profit organisation and be for the benefit of the game.

"*Yawn* yet another article anti-Blatter. Does the Anglophone world really have nothing better to do than to deem a man guilty of bribery and failing to report an offer without even a smell of an investigation. DISGUSTING! Hang your head in shame 大象传媒.

You would all do well to remember that it's innocent until proven guilty, imagine the uproar if the head of FA was deemed guilty of such things without any evidence" Well SuperSonic4 it looks like you might be the one having to apologise. The e-mail confirmed as genuine from the Secretary General of FIFA does indeed suggest that Qatar "bought" the world cup. Seems like David Triesman might well have been right. Time to clean the Augean stables.

"With the seemingly imminent implosion of FIFA and with personal family ties to Switzerland I make this impassioned plea to the Swiss Authorities to take control of this desperate situation. Switzerland has long stood for Justice and equality 鈥� it is now time for that nation to courageously intervene and at the very least investigate its own nationals when allegations of wrongdoing have been made. Switzerland you have it in your grasp to play a significant role on the stage of World opinion 鈥� Bring the Swiss registered FIFA to book and show that ethics are important to sport, especially to the most popular of all 鈥� Football!"

On the contrary the very reason that so many supra national bodies are registered in Switzerland is the lax corporate governance and the banking secrecy. Switzerland has never stood for justice and equality - women only got the vote at national level in 1971 and it was imposed by the federal court on the last canton in 1990. It has stood for the protection of the rich and the guilty. Mobutu, Marcos, Gadaffi, Mubarak et al all stashed cash there and until 1998 no enquiries were made as to whose money was being deposited.

I liken his attitude to the Arab leaders facing revolt from within their countries. They are there so long they are no longer capable of making changes for the good of their country. Blatter is a complete disgrace. He sidesteps all decisions. Technology, WC Voting Reform, Restricting Presidency Terms are all topics everyone wants addressed he continues to dodge any real responsibility for anything. A PR disaster for FIFA and football alike.

it is amazing how easy it is to use the media to control people's thoughts. if only people would ask themselves . how is this going to end--contrasting scenarios and who benefits.
the idea of freedom of speech /thought is illusory

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My bond, you and your moderators are very funny, just because you can't answer honest questions about the blatter issue, does not mean, i have broken house rules, and for this reason its best to let the contributor understand which of the sentence or word broke the house rule, by sending the person a qucik email, highlighting the word, phrase,sentence,e.t.c that broke the rule.
i pay my tv licence every year and i deserve a better service
pls 大象传媒 stop trying to think for the people,and make them believe what you want the masses to believe, its just makes this world so full of nonsense.

Blatter is really in a in a kind of mess,and unless the Swiss tries to wash his hands clean of the whole messy situation, he might be on the brink of being ousted.

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