Qatar 2022

[Rob2012]

Very good point. And that's why I believe that FIFA is slowly realising what a bad, bad decision they made. That doesn't mean that they'll admit it; Blatter is not the type of guy to break his promises to his old buddies in Qatar. That damn corrupt cheater.

Blatter is widely believed to unhappy about the choice of Qatar - though of course he can't say that now. He was apparently urging voters not to pick their bid a week or two prior to the vote because of the reputational damage it could do to his organisation in light of the Times' collusion allegations. Don't be fooled by Blatter's bluster, this is the outcome he feared and he's now having to deal with the fallout. Not that I have any sympathy for him. He's the man who is responsible for the FIFA we have today, and the FIFA we have today has made life very difficult for itself and for its President. It'd be funny if we weren't talking about the governance of the biggest sport on the planet.

[Tulsa]

Qatar world cup is a veritable joke in the world and a scandal

Do you think it's possible to have a coalition with European countries and America countries against this world cup? Maybe with a parallel world cup in another country during the summer? Do you think it's crazy?

[baron-pierreIV]

Qatar world cup is a veritable joke in the world and a scandal

Do you think it's possible to have a coalition with European countries and America countries against this world cup? Maybe with a parallel world cup in another country during the summer? Do you think it's crazy?

It's going to be hard. FIFA has the structure in place. The change has to be done from within. Somebody said maybe start with UEFA and the Premier Leagues. They should grab the bull by the horns.

[Ikarus360]

Ok, after seeing Blatter declarations, i can clearly notice now that the promises of air conditioned stadiums were as ficticious as the whole hologram-based Japan bid, even if technology changes at a fast pace. I'm completly against holding the World Cup in January or February because of many reasons. First of all, and the most important which many of you have pointed already, is that it will damage the Football leagues all over the world as many teams will refuse to send their players to the WC (unless they all agree to decide making a change of schedule). Second of all is that the Winter Olympics would be completly overshadowed by WC since media will be more focused without doubt on the WC. I would feel very bad for the city which hosts the 2022 games.

They have plenty of time, twelve years...if they dont come out with a good solution with all the time they're given, then you can say with all right that Qatar didn't deserved this WC and that FIFA comitted their biggest mistake ever. Until then, i prefer to hold back any allegations

[Sir Rols]

the Winter Olympics would be completly overshadowed by WC since media will be more focused without doubt on the WC. I would feel very bad for the city which hosts the 2022 games.

Here's a suggestion ... why don't the IOC and FIFA do a deal? The WC in winter in 2022, and the IOC open up 2022 WOG bidding to a southern contender - NZ, Chile or Argentina - and have the WOGs on in the usual mid-year WC spot.

That's assuming, of course, that Sepp and Jacques are on speaking terms after Sepp's "housewives" comment.

[Faster]

Roland, you know that suggestion does not address the number one reason the winter federations are against a winter games in New Zealand or Chile. It is a lovely notion but the athletic ramifications would be far too great for the games to go on like that.

As for Blatter, Rob, I do not believe a word of it. Blatter benefited from a Qatar victory. It pacifies bin Hamman and almost guarantees his continued presidency. There is no candidate now that can automatically command 40+ votes from their confederation and there is no African candidate that could step up and counter with their 50+ votes.

And yes a December/January World Cup would be disastrous. North America wouldn’t give a flying fock about the WC in that situation because of our own internal sports and the Europeans would be up in arms over their league disruptions. And this is also a chief reason why I cannot believe Blatter did not support Qatar. He is the first in line to want to challenge the strength of the 5 big European leagues. This is kicking dirt into the face of them.

And I would be more than happy to watch FIFA get left in the gutter over the next 12 years over this issue and sincerely hope that Korea, Japan, Australia and the United States don’t ride to FIFA’s rescue when things inevitable go sidewise.

[Sir Rols]

Roland, you know that suggestion does not address the number one reason the winter federations are against a winter games in New Zealand or Chile. It is a lovely notion but the athletic ramifications would be far too great for the games to go on like that.

LOL. Of course I'm as aware the next person that it's not going to happen. Any sort of hopes that I have for a southern winter games are pinned on the Youth version now, and even then I'd be surprised if it happened during my lifetime.

But, hey, if FIFA wants to stuff up an entire season and crash the WOG's party period, let's just go the whole hog and reschedule the entire year!

[gotosy]

Rogge: Talks needed with FIFA to avoid 2022 clash

(AP) – 8 hours ago

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Jacques Rogge said the IOC and FIFA should hold "sensible discussions" to avoid any scheduling conflicts between the 2022 Winter Olympics and World Cup if the Qatar tournament is switched from the summer to winter.

...

Rogge said the IOC has not had any discussions yet with FIFA about the potential schedule clash in 2022, calling it a "hypothetical discussion." Blatter said last week he expects the monthlong tournament will be moved to January to avoid the searing summer heat in Qatar, but no official decision has been made.

Rogge said the 16-day Winter Olympics will continue to be held between the last week of January and end of February.

"I think it would be sensible once a decision would be envisaged by FIFA to sit around the table to see that this is not harmful for either of the two partners," he said. "But as of today we think it's far too premature.

"I think FIFA will take quietly a decision on that, and of course at that time, taking into consideration the bracket that we have to respect, there might be very sensible discussions to avoid a clash," Rogge added.

Trying to hold both major events at around the same time would pose major challenges for organizers, broadcasters and sponsors.

...

AP

[Rob2012]

Blatter isolated as Qatar choice comes back to haunt Fifa

Emirate's refusal to consider winter switch for 2022 World Cup finals threatens to divide governing body

The Fifa president, Sepp Blatter, was facing meltdown in his organisation last night after Qatar, the tiny emirate controversially chosen by football's world governing body to host the 2022 World Cup finals, rejected Fifa's proposals to switch the tournament to the winter.

In a move designed to cause the maximum embarrassment to Blatter, Mohammed Bin Hammam, the Qatari representative in Fifa's all-powerful executive committee (ExCo), also dismissed recent suggestions from his fellow ExCo member Michel Platini that the 2022 tournament should be spread around Gulf states.

Blatter had hoped to see off some of the public backlash to the decision last month to award Qatar the 2022 finals by switching the tournament to the cooler month of January – but in light of Bin Hammam's comments it would appear that Fifa has no option but to stage the tournament in temperatures of 50C-plus.

Having explored ways of extricating themselves from the embarrassment of staging a World Cup in desert heat, Blatter and the Uefa president Platini now look damaged and isolated on the world stage. In the febrile political atmosphere of Fifa, Blatter, its 74-year-old president who will stand for re-election for a fifth term in April, in particular looks vulnerable.

In a further attack on Blatter's fitness to lead Fifa, Bin Hammam, who will challenge for the Fifa presidency in April, admitted that the organisation was out-dated and lacking in transparency. This is exactly the kind of criticism that has been levelled at it from outside since the vote for the hosts of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup finals on 2 December.

Bin Hammam told Sky News: "I think we [Fifa] need to be more open to the people, more transparent. A lot of things could be done. Maybe the actual administration can do that, they have to commit themselves to doing that. The structure is not helpful or useful for our world."

Also very telling was Blatter's ignorance of Bin Hammam's position – which was made clear by the views expressed by the Fifa president in an interview with CNN's World Sport yesterday, his first major one in English since the 2022 decision. It was evident from Blatter's claim that the likelihood of staging the Qatar tournament in the winter "is definitely over 50 per cent" that he had no notion of Bin Hammam's stance.

The hard-line position of Bin Hammam means that the only way in which Fifa can now avoid the tournament being played in the sweltering temperatures of a Qatari summer would be to make a monumental U-turn and take the finals away. As Blatter himself admitted, the prerogative to change the dates of the tournament rests with the host nation – it cannot be imposed by the ExCo.

The suggestion from Uefa president Platini that the 2022 World Cup be played all around the Gulf states – further evidence that Fifa is simply making up the rules as it goes along – was rejected by Bin Hammam. The president of the Asian football confederation thinks that the ad hoc nature of Fifa's major alterations to the staging of a World Cup were not acceptable.

Bin Hammam said: "I believe Qatar can stand alone and organise the competition by itself and I'm really not very impressed by these opinions to distribute the game over the Gulf or change the time from July to January."

He added later: "We submitted a bid suggesting we are going to be ready in June, July. And we said we are going to face all the challenges and we are going to meet all the requirements. Our focus is June, July. It is never our interest to change one week beyond June, July.

"I know, from the bottom of my heart, there are a lot of stakeholders who should be consulted [and] their views brought to the table. It's not up to one, two or three members of Fifa to talk about changing the time without getting the real stakeholders' opinions."

He added: "We will not [change our minds]. We are not interested. We are very happy and we are promising the world that we are going to organise an amazing World Cup in June and July. And even here in Qatar that is going to be a perfect welcome."

Breaking the usual code of silence among the ExCo members, who currently number 22, Bin Hammam discussed the perception of corruption within the organisation, admitting that "people are seeing us [sic] that way". He hinted at an independent regulator – "there must be [something] that people can really measure us on" so that "people see us from [the] inside".

Meanwhile, in the interview Blatter gave to Pedro Pinto of CNN, the Fifa president was blissfully unaware of Bin Hammam's frame of mind. Blatter, so rarely outmanoeuvred, claimed that "the final decision has not yet been taken" on whether 2022 would be switched to the winter. He said: "It would be unfair to the players to play in summer when there is a possibility to play in winter."

It also emerged yesterday that the two ExCo members suspended over corruption charges relating to The Sunday Times investigation – Reynald Temarii (Tahiti) and Amos Adamu (Nigeria) – are appealing against their sentences.

Link

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I believe Schadenfreude is the word I'm looking for :lol:

[baron-pierreIV]

Well you know, an extra sign has just been added to the Zodiac calendar. Maybe they'll add an extra month to the calendar by 2022 and we would have a WC that's neither in January, June or July (Ha! Notice all those "J"'s!!) Maybe Jambuwary??

Also, I think Qatar would schedule its own games at night and those of the strongest rivals in its group during the day. Woe to those who fall into Qatar's group!!

BTW, when is Ramadan that year?

Edited January 15, 2011 by baron-pierreIV

[LuigiVercotti]

Rob, I prefer the term 'suffer you selfish ungrateful despotic bastards who have ficked over everything that was decent and respectable about what was supposed to be the beautiful game, and no one thinks that these thieving mongrels deserve any better than the massive shitefight they are all engaged in'.

The petrodollar fuelled Qatari tail is now wagging the MaFIFA dog and Blather is floundering like a drunk at a wine tasting. They are stabbing each other in the back with so much energy it's a shame that they can't divert 0.1% into actual management of the game (you know, goal line technology, eradicating simulation, addressing the inequalities of wealthy European clubs, racism, crowd violence etc etc) and achieve something more than covering themselves in mutual shite.

[Faster]

I think with the emergence of new ExCo members out of Europe, Africa and the Americas, those 3 need to unite and counter the seemlying one-sided power of Asia. Danny Jordaan for President.

[LuigiVercotti]

I think with the emergence of new ExCo members out of Europe, Africa and the Americas, those 3 need to unite and counter the seemlying one-sided power of Asia. Danny Jordaan for President.

Some if not all those new ExCo members will still owe allegiance to the existing powers that be (such as Blather, Hammam, Platini etc etc). The only way to get true reform is sack every single one of them and start again. Or even better individual FAs break away from the current corrupt, indolent and pig ignorant MaFIFA and build an entirely new global football body.

[Faster]

Not necessarily. Teixeira has not hidden his desire to be FIFA president and with Blatter/bin Hammam that is now almost impossible. And something has to be done, how can people from countries like Kuwait, Thailand and Sri Lanka have ExCo membership when an Italian doesn't for instance.

And I think in the Americas, the only one that is benefiting from the current system is Warner.

[LuigiVercotti]

If looking for a reason why they should sack the lot and start again...

Decision to move Qatar World Cup to winter was done deal claims FIFA Executive Committee member

January 17 - The idea of staging the 2022 World Cup during the winter if Qatar became hosts was discussed weeks before last month's vote, according to a senior member of the FIFA Executive Committee.

Following the recent admission by FIFA President Sepp Blatter that he expects a switch of date because of the area's stifling summer heat, the United States' Chuck Blazer now reveals talks were held about moving a Gulf World Cup in the build-up to the ballot on December 2.

"There were comments like that some weeks before the decision," said Blazer whose own country, hosts in 1994, were the main fall-guys resulting from Qatar's landslide victory.

"Otherwise I really couldn't understand how they voted for football in that level of temperatures, because I knew them well enough, and their support for their own teams, so it seemed illogical."

Qatar spent millions on their campaign, pledging revolutionary cooling techniques at stadiums and training camps.

FIFA's rules did not "contemplate" Government-financed bids of this type, Blazer said.

"You have to look at the rules and recognise that it's a completely different ball game, what we experienced, from what we had contemplated," Blazer added in an interview with Bloomberg.

Way before the vote, Blazer had questioned the wisdom of a World Cup in the region, famously remarking that "you can't cool a whole country."

To complicate the issue, any switch to the winter would need a break of around nine weeks and would totally disrupt the European club season.

Last week, UEFA President Michel Platini, who backed the choice of Qatar, even called for the tournament to be shared with the tiny state's Gulf neighbours.

Platini "was one who was already talking about the idea of potentially moving the event before the decision was taken," said Blazer, who opposes a switch to winter.

"So that's why I don't think this is much of a surprise in that sense," he said.

Maybe the rationale of a guy like him - who wouldn't necessarily like to see players playing in inclement weather - justified his vote by saying, 'Well, we'll actually move it."

These supposed well-informed paragons of football administration can't even honestly communicate between themselves and understand the full ramifications of the Qatar bid, to the point where some ExCo members appear to have deceived themselves if not their colleagues. And those who had any semblance of a grip on reality have been marginalised.

One thing is for certain; the IOC would never countenance such an ambivalent and self-destructive process of assessing the merits of a bid to the point that the whole dates, environment and multi-national hosting agenda would change so drastically. MaFIFA is a global sporting organisation in total chaos at the top of the decision making process, riddled with incompetents, liars, opportunists and autocrats.

Edited January 17, 2011 by eusebius65

[baron-pierreIV]

I wonder what FIFA's marketing consultants would say about moving 2022 to Winter? I mean...WC sponsors (at least for the US, Europe, East Asia) are all geared for summer products...how would the traditional sponsors then tie in with a winter timing??

[LuigiVercotti]

I think this blog entry gives a more detailed explanation as to why Blather is playing these games with Qatar 2022 and of course trying to unravel his own ExCo board's decisions:

Mihir Bose: Blatter courting danger as he enjoys watching Bin Hammam squirm

It was entirely predictable that Sepp Blatter's comments on the 2022 World Cup in Qatar being played in January raised a howl of protest.

Not only does it seem extraordinary that after the game is over, the rules of the game are changed, but the near-revolution this would cause to the European game is incalculable.

But what has been missed in all this is that Blatter, the most consummate of sports politicians - one who could teach those who make a living out of politics a trick or two - is not actually concerned about whether the World Cup moves to winter.

His remarks are really part of an elaborate re-election strategy designed to clip the wings of Mohammed Bin Hammam, lest his World cup triumph give the Qatari fanciful ideas.

Blatter eyes are on June of this year when the FIFA Congress meets in Zurich, and Blatter goes for yet another term as President.

Until the afternoon of December 2, this seemed fairly straightforward. Blatter was going to stand again, there seemed no other candidate who dared oppose him and, as happened last time round, he would win unopposed and by acclamation.

But then on the afternoon of December 2, he opened the envelope and there was the name of Qatar printed next to 2022 World Cup.

What is more, Qatar had won it in style, getting 11 votes in the first round and fairly annihilating a field which included United States and Australia.

Blatter has made no secret of the fact that he would have loved to be a showman. The job he loved best in FIFA was the World cup draw and he retained his showman's instincts as he congratulated Qatar.

His talk was all about taking the World Cup to a new frontier, the first Muslim country, the first time in the Middle East. But there can be little doubt he was truly shocked.

Although the votes of the FIFA Executive members are secret, and there has been much speculation as to who votes for whom - the mystery of the second vote England got still continues and may never be resolved - there is not much doubt about how Blatter voted.

He wanted Russia for 2018 but did not want Qatar for 2022. Australians sources are pretty confident Blatter was their lone supporter and then his support appears to have switched to USA. Qatar's 2022 victory was the one victory Blatter could not have wanted.

It meant that Mohamed Bin Hammam, the Qatari head of the Asian Football Confederation, who also sits on the FIFA Executive, was once again a huge power in world football.

Once a close friend of Blatter, but since then estranged, the whole Qatar campaign had shown Bin Hammam could punch well above his weight.

For Blatter this spells great danger. Could Bin Hammam now think of standing for election as FIFA President? If he could deliver Qatar the World Cup, how much easier would it be for him to dethrone Blatter?

You can see the outline of any Bin Hammam campaign. All the FIFA presidents so far have been either European, or of European stock like João Havelange.

If this body that controls world football is really to be global, then it must at some point have a non-European head. It has taken the World Cup to new continents - Africa and now to the Middle East. So who better than Bin Hammam to be the man to represent the new frontier?

And this is where Blatter's remarks about 2022 Qatar moving from summer to winter comes in.

He made the remarks while he was in Doha for the Asian Cup. Qatar had not asked for such a move and the remarks were clearly designed to put Qatar and Bin Hamman on the defensive.

Their bid was that, despite the heat, Qatar could handle the World Cup. Now by making so much play of the summer heat and protecting the players, Blatter has re-opened the debate, just when Qatar was hoping everyone would forget and they would have 11 years to somehow convince the world a summer World Cup in the Middle East desert was possible.

This is very similar to the way Blatter used Vladimir Putin's remarks about the British press just before his executive was getting ready to vote.

Blatter, recall, reminded his fellow executive members of the way the British press had behaved. Now he was putting Bin Hammam (pictured) on the back foot where almost any response would merely expose Qatar's bid and cast doubts on his leadership.

What does he say: no, we can still hold it in summer, as we said in the bid book? Or does he agree that the bid was made under a false prospectus, and Blatter is right to protect the players and say it has to be in January, not July?

Blatter further increased the pressure on Bin Hammam by saying he could see 2022 being spread around Middle East countries.

No remark could have been designed with the election more in mind. There are lots of votes in that region and Blatter was cosying up to them.

The remarks were designed to arouse expectations, and again put Bin Hamman in an awkward position. What does he say: no thank you we need no help, which will make him even more unpopular in his region?

Or does he say yes we shall share, which would again raise questions as to how upfront Qatar was when it made the bid?

Blatter, the astute politician, must have calculated all this and, as Bin Hammam squirms, he is enjoying this.

However shrewd he is, Blatter is also courting danger. The clubs in Europe view the prospect of a winter World Cup with something approaching horror.

At the moment they are inside the big FIFA tent, but only just. Should they feel Blatter is threatening to choke them, then some of them might decide that it is worth taking Blatter on.

The often-rumoured move is a breakaway League. However, a World Cup in January, which threatens their competitions, could be seen as violating the Treaty of Rome and, should matters relay get serious, these clubs could petition the European Commission against FIFA.

It could become a sort of big club version of the Bosman case. That would be interesting.

But my feeling is all his talk of a January World Cup shared by many countries in the Middle East will come to nothing. Blatter will make these noises till he knows who will contest against him for the Presidency. If no one stands, then this proposal, like the one about World Cups every two years, will disappear.

Bill Clinton's campaign manager for the 1992 Presidency said "it is the economy, stupid".

With Blatter, the watch words are "it is the election, stupid".

Makes for comforting reading doesn't it to know that world football is being run by such a bunch of selfish bastards.

[Aronious]

And something has to be done, how can people from countries like Kuwait, Thailand and Sri Lanka have ExCo membership when an Italian doesn't for instance.

And I think in the Americas, the only one that is benefiting from the current system is Warner.

I don't think the issue is where individual members come from. It's probably better that the members come from countries unlikely to host the event in their own right, thus more likely to make a decision on merits rather than national pride. I agree there are too many Asian members, but that is ultimately a result of the growing importance and population in Asia.

The problem is the size of the organisation. With so few members, results can be easily manipulated by just a handful of votes.

While the IOC has made some dubious decisions in the past, it is far harder to orchestrate conspiracies, collusion or establish corrupted factions in an organisation with 200+ members.

[aluz]

Not necessarily. Teixeira has not hidden his desire to be FIFA president and with Blatter/bin Hammam that is now almost impossible. And something has to be done, how can people from countries like Kuwait, Thailand and Sri Lanka have ExCo membership when an Italian doesn't for instance.

And I think in the Americas, the only one that is benefiting from the current system is Warner.

Really, research a little bit further.

Teixeira or anyone close to him has ever said that he will run for FIFA presidency. In fact, the rumors about his desire for the post comes from Brazilian journalists that attack him on a daily basis. He's reputation is terrible and he is 100% behind Blatter, probably being even stronger politically than the current president, after all he is the one with the right to speak for the old man Havelange. Teixeira might run for FIFA presidency, but that would never happen without Blatter's support.

Just to highlight how ridiculous are the accounts of a dispute between Blatter and Teixeira, while the big controversy about the Morumbi stadium was going on, there were people suggesting that Teixeira was fighting with Valcke (Blatter's man). However, those guys did not even bothered to do some research to find out that Valcke was actually staying in Teixeira's house when he traveled to Brazil.

Regarding the membership on the ExCom, it is distributed by Continental Confederation, not by Country. If Italy does not have a member, that's because UEFA did not allow. For the same reason countries like Kuwait, Thailand and Sri Lanka do.

Last but not least, the Americas are 100% behind Blatter. Jack Warner and most of the Concacaf members love it. Leoz, Grondona and Teixeira love it as well and the rest of Conmebol will go behind them because they have no choice. By the way, 2026 will be in the Americas, since Europe and Asia will be out because of continental rotation (written rule in FIFA). The other 2 possible continents (Africa and Oceania) have no one to present, since Australia as part of the AFC is an Asian country as far as FIFA is concerned.

Platini and the whole Eastern European block are 100% behind him, as well. And so is Africa, Dany Joradaan included, with a big help from Isata Houtou.

The only pockets of resistance to his power are in the far east, where the Korean president of the AFC wants to run for FIFA presidency and in the Western Europe where the big leagues don't want to send their players for international matches. However, the concentration of power in a few leagues has been doing a lot to weaken this group. The result is that they don't even control UEFA anymore, since Platini is a Blatter's ally.

In my opinion, Blatter is approaching then Arab countries and Russia to maintain his main allies in the pockets of resistance in Asia and Europe.

By the way, if the situation gets politically difficult for him to stay in office, his group will choose someone faithful and palatable from its ranks and put in his place. It might be even some of the people that you have mentioned.

[Faster]

aluz, I know Teixeria is one of Blatter's but he has always had the air of being the successor to Blatter once Blatter steps aside.

As for Blatter, I read that the Japanese member of the ExCo had to retire because he had reached 70, Blatter is 74?

[baron-pierreIV]

As for Blatter, I read that the Japanese member of the ExCo had to retire because he had reached 70, Blatter is 74?

The Pope doesn't retire when he reaches senility. Why should SB?

[LuigiVercotti]

Really, research a little bit further.

Teixeira or anyone close to him has ever said that he will run for FIFA presidency. In fact, the rumors about his desire for the post comes from Brazilian journalists that attack him on a daily basis. He's reputation is terrible and he is 100% behind Blatter, probably being even stronger politically than the current president, after all he is the one with the right to speak for the old man Havelange. Teixeira might run for FIFA presidency, but that would never happen without Blatter's support.

Just to highlight how ridiculous are the accounts of a dispute between Blatter and Teixeira, while the big controversy about the Morumbi stadium was going on, there were people suggesting that Teixeira was fighting with Valcke (Blatter's man). However, those guys did not even bothered to do some research to find out that Valcke was actually staying in Teixeira's house when he traveled to Brazil.

Regarding the membership on the ExCom, it is distributed by Continental Confederation, not by Country. If Italy does not have a member, that's because UEFA did not allow. For the same reason countries like Kuwait, Thailand and Sri Lanka do.

Last but not least, the Americas are 100% behind Blatter. Jack Warner and most of the Concacaf members love it. Leoz, Grondona and Teixeira love it as well and the rest of Conmebol will go behind them because they have no choice. By the way, 2026 will be in the Americas, since Europe and Asia will be out because of continental rotation (written rule in FIFA). The other 2 possible continents (Africa and Oceania) have no one to present, since Australia as part of the AFC is an Asian country as far as FIFA is concerned.

Platini and the whole Eastern European block are 100% behind him, as well. And so is Africa, Dany Joradaan included, with a big help from Isata Houtou.

The only pockets of resistance to his power are in the far east, where the Korean president of the AFC wants to run for FIFA presidency and in the Western Europe where the big leagues don't want to send their players for international matches. However, the concentration of power in a few leagues has been doing a lot to weaken this group. The result is that they don't even control UEFA anymore, since Platini is a Blatter's ally.

In my opinion, Blatter is approaching then Arab countries and Russia to maintain his main allies in the pockets of resistance in Asia and Europe.

By the way, if the situation gets politically difficult for him to stay in office, his group will choose someone faithful and palatable from its ranks and put in his place. It might be even some of the people that you have mentioned.

Excellent analysis Aluz. And of course all it takes is a simple bit of research on (for example) Prince Ali of Jordan (one of the new members of the ExCo who was selected by the AFC) to demonstrate what the true political situation is in MaFIFA re Blather. As Andrew Jennings discussed in an article I posted here and can be also seen in the following story the boss of world football is actively using his ability to prorogue friendly supporters into the ExCo to either improve his own re-election chances or destroy those of his rivals:

Sepp Blatter rival Chung Mong-Joon ejected from Fifa executive committee

By Paul Kelso, Chief Sports Reporter, Doha 10:13AM GMT 06 Jan 2011

Chung Mong-Joon, one of Sepp Blatter’s most persistent critics and rivals, has been ejected from his post as a vice-president of Fifa’s executive committee following a vote at the Asian Football Confederation Congress in Doha today.

South Korean Chung, a billionaire scion of the Hyundai dynasty, was defeated 25 votes to 20 by Crown Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan, who at 35 will become the youngest member of the executive committee by almost 20 years.

Chung’s defeat can be interpreted as strengthening Blatter’s position ahead of the presidential election scheduled for May this year. The Korean has hinted that he will run against Blatter in the past, but today’s result renders his intentions an irrelevance.

Blatter’s assumed support for Prince Ali appeared to be confirmed immediately after the vote when the head of the Kuwaiti football federation Sheikh Ahmad Ali Fahad Al Sabah, one of Prince Ali’s closest supporters, pledged loyalty.

“I can confirm that the 25 people who voted for Prince Ali today will vote for President Blatter [in the presidential election] at the Fifa Congress because Blatter deserves to continue as Fifa president."

While the result sparked celebrations among the Jordanian and other Arab delegations in the Congress hall, Chung left without comment.

Chung has been a fixture on the Fifa executive committee since 1994, and fronted his country’s defeated bid for the 2022 World Cup last month.

In 2002 he was one of a number of executive committee members who actively campaigned against Blatter, accusing the Fifa president of misusing funds and backing African rival Issa Hayatou.

When Blatter prevailed however Chung was sidelined, but until today had retained his place at football’s highest table courtesy of his popularity and influence within the AFC.

He has remained more vocal than most of his colleagues in criticising Fifa. Speaking in London last October he said Fifa would benefit from a contested presidential election. “You need competition at the summit... we need to keep Fifa healthy,” he said.

A week before the final vote on the 2022 World Cup last month Hyundai signed a 12-year sponsorship contract extension with Fifa that will see it remain the official car supplier until 2022, a decision Chung may now regret.

The result also signals a further shift in power within Asian football to the Gulf region, already boosted by the award of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.

It is also evidence of the growing power of Mohamed Bin Hamam, re-elected by acclimation as president of the AFC today, who’s influence played a significant part in Qatar’s World Cup campaign.

Two other AFC seats on the Fifa executive committee were also decided today, with Worawi Makudi of Thailand retaining his seat and Vernon Manilal Fernando of Sri Lanka replacing Junji Ogura of Japan, who stood down.

João Havelange influenced the votes of non-European ExCo members in 1974 to dump the then president Stanley Rous, then went on to create his own empire which included Blather as his preferred successor. Then come 1998 Blatter uses the support of Havelange, the financial backing of Horst Dassler, plus the lobbying of the likes of Warner, Leoz, Teixeira and Blazer to get himself elected over Swede Lennart Johansson. Since then Blatter has tirelessly worked to do one thing above all; marshal his supporters via patronage at the confederation level and seduce numerous gullible FAs (such as those in South Africa, England, Australia & the US) to keep his position as president unassailable. Finally as demonstrated by the departure of Franz Beckenbauer from the ExCo and the overturning of Chung's position anyone anti-Blather gets marginalised and then dumped or retires.

[baron-pierreIV]

Well, Strep has improved on his models, Niccolo and Sam!! If he is that foxy, I don't think Strep is anywhere approaching senility.

[LuigiVercotti]

Well, Strep has improved on his models, Niccolo and Sam!! If he is that foxy, I don't think Strep is anywhere approaching senility.

Baron, I was hanging off using the Machiavellian imprimatur for good old Septic...thanks for the rebound save

[aluz]

aluz, I know Teixeria is one of Blatter's but he has always had the air of being the successor to Blatter once Blatter steps aside.

This is pure speculation, coming from the fact that he is Havelenge's true heir. There is no statement from him or anyone close to him saying that.

IMO, he is too smart to run himself. He is probably going to choose someone who is less involved and who will provide a better political arrangement. Choosing an Asian member now would shut down the opposition from the AFC president.