FIFA and Mr. Blatter

[Shelter]

If you are interested in good and honest sport (here football or "soccer") what ist your opinion to FIFA and Mr. Blatter.

I think this conglomeration of old and very old corrupt men has killed or will kill a beautiful sport. They act like a Mafia Gang. And nobody will oppose them.

Some days ago I've read a joke with a wordplay which is more than true: "Ich dachte alle schlimmen Krankheiten sind ausgestorben - und jetzt kommen die Blattern wieder."

"I thought all bad diseases are dead - and now the smallpox (German word is Blattern) are returning."

Well, if you are a football-fan, I would be interested in your opinion.

 

[gb2000ie]

The more of these over-mighty fat-cats to fall the better.

The elite running FIFA have no love of soccer, just of money!

They would not even let the ladies play their world cup on real grass, and they suggested that the lady's game would benefit from shorter skirts - ASSHOLES!

I take nothing but joy from the whole-sale demolition of the FIFA elite.

I wonder if the reason it is the US prosecuting the corrupt bastards is because the US don't consider soccer a religion? Could any European country hold these guys to account? I fear not

B.

 

[Shelter]

Could any European country hold these guys to account? I fear not

B.

GB that's what I believe too. The only soccer organization in Europe was the British, which openly declared their anti-Blatter attitude. All the other organizations have been too cowardly.

 

[gorgik9]

Well it was Michel Platini - former french soccer legend and World Champion and UEFA:s president today - who insistently urged Blatter to step down when the bad FIFA shit hit the fan, and - mind you! - this was before Blatter got re-elected a few day ago.

Blatter's power base hasn't been UEFA (the European soccer union) at all. It's been the African and Asian soccer unions, and it was their delegates who re-elected Blatter at the recent FIFA meeting some days ago.

So I think that Blatter resigning on his own initiative after just recently having been re-elected as FIFA president really can't mean much else than Blatter finally has realized, that the proofs the FBI have come up with is so strong and incriminating not only to all of the minions surrounding Blatter, but also to Blatter personally.

 

[bigsal]

Blatter & C. = Criminal association of mold the mafia.

 

[dargelos]

Once this gang of con men has been humbled, the next step is to do the same to the International Olympic Commitee, who are just as dishonest and as little an asset to athletics as FIFA are to soccer.

 

[gorgik9]

Once this gang of con men has been humbled, the next step is to do the same to the International Olympic Commitee, who are just as dishonest and as little an asset to athletics as FIFA are to soccer.

Totally agree!

It's good that a top mafioso like Blatter has been forced to step down, but the worst that could happen is people imagining that it's all about a few bad apples. Fundamentally it's a question of very rotten socio-economico-politic structures that must be torn down, and that will take time, pretty long time.

 

[haiducii]

Lets just hope the next two world cups get re-voted on by a non-corrupt president! Maybe football can shake this negative era into a more positive future...

 

[Shelter]

Lets just hope the next two world cups get re-voted on by a non-corrupt president!

That will be something I would wish from deep of the bottom of my heart. World Cup in Russia will be the same like the Olympic Games 1936 in Germany and in Quatar - dear God what a soccer country what a soccer giant. Blatteresqe stupidity!

 

[tonka]

It's fine that this gang is being taken down.

I'm not happy that the American justice system did it. This only involved America in a peripheral way.
Part of the criticism is America's busybody nature. But the European justice systems could have done this long ago.

 

[dargelos]

But only a country in which football is not a religion could have done this. Most European countries would be too scared to touch the high priests of the game, it would be like the Italian government trying to tackle the Vatican.

 

[gb2000ie]

It's fine that this gang is being taken down.

I'm not happy that the American justice system did it. This only involved America in a peripheral way.
Part of the criticism is America's busybody nature. But the European justice systems could have done this long ago.

If that were true, why didn't it happen?

Because in Europe, soccer is a religion, and Blatter et-al are untouchables.

America are also at the top of women's soccer world-wide, so why should they not be involved?

 

[topdog]

Well, he is president until the next election. I guess that kind of explains why he took that step...

Very true! If the little weasel had done this a week ago he would have been out of a job. By securing the presidency first and then saying he will step down, he set himself in control for a year or more to stonewall investigations and make sure the transition happens to his liking.

 

[bigsal]

But only a country in which football is not a religion could have done this. Most European countries would be too scared to touch the high priests of the game, it would be like the Italian government trying to tackle the Vatican.

As an part active of football and connoisseur of dynamic state-church, I say that you're absolutely right.

 

[bigsal]

However we braking the enthusiasm, Blatter to declare oneself out-going and so remain in office until the next council FIFA.

This means that nothing will change on the allocation of World Cup in Russia, and I fear that even those of Qatar will not be compromised.

The economic power of the rich emirs is deeply rooted in Europe, where there are already owners of soccer clubs and stadiums.

 

[gorgik9]

Hrrmmm...I think your much too Eurocentric...

So football is "a religion" in Europe? But not in - say - Brazil, Argentine, Uruguay or Colombia? C'mon, don't be so damn Eurocentric - for fucks sake, football is GLOBAL in a way that baseball and icehocky never will be.

Blatter's predecessor as FIFA president wasn't European, he was Brazilian : Joaô Havelange, and Havelange was the king-maker in 1998 when he threw in several million dollars in dirty money on Blattar's side, when Blatter run against Swedish UEFA president Lennart Johansson.

 

[gb2000ie]

Hrrmmm...I think your much too Eurocentric...

So football is "a religion" in Europe? But not in - say - Brazil, Argentine, Uruguay or Colombia? C'mon, don't be so damn Eurocentric - for fucks sake, football is GLOBAL in a way that baseball and icehocky never will be.

Read what was actually said for fuck sake!

No one said foot was was a religion ONLY in Europe, just that it is in Europe, and not in the US. FACT!

The Brazilians could ALSO not have gotten it together enough to prosecute these guys. That in no way changes the point made that it could not happen in Europe.

The question was raised, why the US, why not Europe, where the FIFA HQ is, and a totally correct answer was given.

It might be best not try so hard to find something to take offence at.

B.

 

[powermate]

All depend on the next batch to take over. They need to be and to be seen seen to be anti corruption not just appeasing the media for a while

 

[gorgik9]

Read what was actually said for fuck sake!

No one said foot was was a religion ONLY in Europe, just that it is in Europe, and not in the US. FACT!

The Brazilians could ALSO not have gotten it together enough to prosecute these guys. That in no way changes the point made that it could not happen in Europe.

The question was raised, why the US, why not Europe, where the FIFA HQ is, and a totally correct answer was given.

It might be best not try so hard to find something to take offence at.

B.

Please, the "FACT!" that soccer is "a religion" in - but not only in - Europe, but not in the US (which is thought to "explain" why it's the FBI doing the investigations into FIFA corruption) isn't a "FACT!" at all - it's a train of fuzzy metaphors and analogies. Does "soccer is a religion" have ANY distinct meaning other than "lots of people love to watch and visit football games"?

No, the fact is, that US citizen and former member of FIFA executive committee, former general secretary of CONCACAF, and former executive vice president of the US Soccer Federation Chuck Blazer became a confidential informant for the FBI and the IRS in 2014.

So the FBI started the investigation because Chuck Blazer sung in their ears, not in the ears of Europol.

 

[gb2000ie]

So the FBI started the investigation because Chuck Blazer sung in their ears, not in the ears of Europol.

You don't know that European police forces did not turn a blind eye to information that could have been enough to start an investigation.

The US, who do not hold soccer dear, they got a report of massive fraud, and they acted on it. Fans have known FIFA is as bent as a two-bob note for years, so why did no European police force ever raise a finger? Living here in Europe is seems pretty darn obvious to me, soccer, like the Catholic church of a few decades ago, is powerful enough to deter most investigations. If a European police force can find an excuse to look the other way, they will IMO (and most probably have, many times).

There are big soccer execs in every nation on earth, and even in nations entirely invented by FIFA that don't even really exist. Plenty of people have smelled a rat in soccer-mad nations, but done nothing.

B.