LIVE Presentations and Vote Discussion

[LuigiVercotti]

I think that FIFA knew pretty early on who they were going to award the world cups to.

The English media exposure could explain England only getting 2 votes, but i don't understand why Australia only got 1 vote

Four contributing factors for the single solitary vote Scotguy:

1. Bin Hamman ran a perfect wedge camapaign against the FFA led Australian bid

2. MaFIFA members misled FFA's delegates in thinking they were going to vote for us then lied

3. The Australian 2022 bid simply didn't embody a football world cup bid...it seemed to be more about attracting tourism and international attention rather than being focused on the raison d'etre for the event (world class football/soccer)

4. The McKinsey Report immediately before the vote argued that Australia 2022 was not going to as profitable as other bids...money matters probably swung away some votes as well

And at the risk of sounding like the Spanish Inquisition sketch our one vote stuck because the most likely candidate for such a vote (Franz Beckenbauer) had formed a very strong and dare I say ethical alignment with our bid.

[Olympian2004]

And at the risk of sounding like the Spanish Inquisition sketch our one vote stuck because the most likely candidate for such a vote (Franz Beckenbauer) had formed a very strong and dare I say ethical alignment with our bid.

Really? Do you have a source for that?

[Sir Rols]

Really? Do you have a source for that?

As far as I know, nobody can confirm who he voted for (and he hasn't gone public on it), but his championing of Australia was consistent throughout the campaign, and as mentioned, he was about the only voter to publicly state incredulity and amazement at Oz's early exit in the aftermath of the vote.

[Rafa]

and once again....Mike Lee wins the day....

Mike Lee, the Englishman behind Qatar's World Cup success

Having helped to bring the Olympics to London in 2012 and Rio four years later, Mike Lee is toasting another victory tonight

• • Tweet this
  • Share
  • 
  • 

• 
• • Matt Scott
  • guardian.co.uk, Thursday 2 December 2010 19.42 GMT <li class="resize"> larger | smaller <li class="history">Article history

  Mike Lee worked for the Premier League and for Uefa before working on successful bids for the 2012 and 2016 Olympics and the 2022 World Cup. Photograph: Paul Woodmansey/Rex Features At least there was one Englishman in Zurich who had cause to smile today. As the tiny emirate of Qatar became the unlikeliest of World Cup hosts, Mike Lee OBE was the power behind the scenes.

  Lee had been overlooked by England 2018 as campaign strategist last year. Memories in football are long and the England bid's rationale was that an association with Lee would have torpedoed their candidacy. Supposedly he had devised the electoral campaign for the then Uefa president, Lennart Johansson, in his challenge against Sepp Blatter for the presidency of Fifa. But that view misread history: Johansson's campaign had been in 1998; Lee had not joined Uefa until 2000.

  Indeed Lee always insisted that he held the trust of Fifa. Blatter is a member of the International Olympic Committee, where Lee is a well‑known figure through his work on the successful London and Rio Olympic bids, and it is through these connections that they were acquainted. Ignored by England, Lee chose to sign up with Qatar. The results were there for all to see today.

  "This was a magnificent team effort," said Lee after today's vote. "It is about two years of global campaigning. You don't win in the final stretch. You have to focus on the voters and what the narrative means to them. This is their crown jewel and you have to show how you will take it forward for them.

  "[Qatar's emir] Sheikh Mohammed was the first yesterday to speak in a language other than English. Not many of the executive committee have English as a first language, so that is an important issue. What the great campaigns also develop is an international media outlook. You have to have an eye on the global media scene."

  Lee, whose partner is the former Lambeth City Council chief executive, ex-BBC governor and one-time Millwall chairman, Heather Rabbatts, is a lifelong communicator with almost two decades of history in football. Having run the Premier League's communications from its inception in 1992, he joined Uefa as director of communications. When he left there in September 2003 it was to the position that would seal his reputation: the London 2012 bid. Joining on the same day as Sir Keith Mills became its chief executive, Lee was an influential figure as Barbara Cassani was replaced by Lord Coe as bid chair the following May.

  He recognised what buttons needed pushing in the often remote International Olympic Committee and Lee helped deliver the campaign that saw London rise from third-placed candidate, behind Paris and Madrid, to Olympic host city. Having picked up an OBE for his efforts and set up his own communications agency, Vero, Lee was then recruited by the Rio 2016 Olympic bid. This, too, won. He ran the International Rugby Board's campaign for sevens' inclusion in future Olympics, another success. So what is his secret?

  "You have to work hard to unlock the potential of your bid, to develop a very profound and important campaign narrative," said Lee today.

  In 2003 he had said of himself and London's Olympic bid: "I am extremely experienced in international marketing and an important part of the job will be persuading the world sporting community that this is the bid to choose."

  Few can argue with that now.

[Mainad]

Yep,England 2018 really should have had Mike Lee on board.Very surprising that Seb Coe did not push for his inclusion knowing full well what he did for London 2012!

I guess the bid team thought that tackling FIFA was a slightly different 'ball game'.Big mistake! It was basically just the same...only more so!!

[Rafa]

Durban must hire Mike Lee. Do we have any other choice?

[Rafa]

Exclusive: Ethics member warns FIFA "in big trouble" over "lunacy" of Qatar decision

Tuesday, 07 December 2010 Share By Andrew Warshaw

December 7 - A member of FIFA's own Ethics Committee has sensationally questioned Qatar being awarded the 2022 World Cup as suspicions continue to plague the tiny Middle East state's credentials.

Speaking in his native Australia, Les Murray fuelled growing collusion claims against Qatar by saying FIFA was "in big trouble" for voting for the "lunacy" of the oil and gas-rich nation.

Being from a fellow bidding nation, Murray is understood to have been excluded from last month's Ethics Committee hearing at which collusion claims between Spain-Portugal and Qatar were dismissed through lack of evidence.

At the same hearing, the Committee suspended two voting members of the FIFA Executive Committee for their roles in the alleged corruption scandal flagged up by the Sunday Times, reducing last week's vote to 22 members.

Speaking on SBS radio, Murray, who made a point of saying he was not speaking for the Ethics Committee, nevertheless warned a global backlash against Qatar was now inevitable.

"As a private individual I'm convinced there was collusion," he said.

"That Qatar should hold the World Cup is a notion that borders on the ludicrous.

"If you are going to take the World Cup to new lands, why not take it to Australia?"

"FIFA is in big trouble.

"Nobody will believe that Qatar won this process legitimately - people will probe away asking questions."

Although a ruling was made two weeks before the vote to retain the controversial double ballot for 2018 and 2022, Murray (pictured above with microphone) revealed that several Executive Committee members wanted the latter ballot to be postponed for a year - but not enough of them could get the idea through.

Some even wanted Qatar dismissed altogether.

"Rather than have Qatar get up, people on the ExCo wanted to move to postpone," Murray said.

"People on the ExCo were fearing that Qatar's...got the numbers.

"The Australian camp were really worried at that point.

"There was another motion being contemplated.

"That would have dismissed Qatar altogether purely on the basis of the lunacy of their bid."

Although the ethics committee is an independent judicial body, Murray's remarks will heap further embarrassment on the whole bid process.

Commenting on Australia and, for 2018, England being knocked out in the first round with three votes between them, he said there was a concerted effort to get Russia and Qatar past the winning post.

"There were those within the Committee who were strategically orchestrating the victories of Russia and Qatar," Murray said.

"They wanted England and Australia out in the first round because they were the biggest threats.

"Japan and Korea got votes in early rounds in order to make sure Australia did not have enough to go into second round.

"It's astounding that 11 men and eventually 14 - reasonable men one would assume - would vote for the Qatar bid which was easily weakest of the lot across the two World Cups."

Speaking about both the "unbearable" heat of Qatar and its human rights record, he continued: "The World Cup's oxygen is the vibrancy the fans create.

"That's what gives it life.

"This is a global event and there are minimums in what is acceptable cultural behaviour."

Murray also questioned the effectiveness of the secrecy of the ballot in Zurich.

"We were told that only the team who polled the least would not take part in the next round.

"But they obviously knew more than that because one hour before the voting was due to be completed, Al Jazeera was reporting that Qatar had won and Russia had won.

"So you tell me.

"Six people shook hands with [Australian bid chief] Frank Lowy the day before the bid.

"Five of them double-crossed us."

Contact the writer of this story at andrew.warshaw@insideworldfootball.bizThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

[baron-pierreIV]

Name NAMES Please!!

[Ripley]

I really think this could break fifa if this is what their ethics official is saying. If there is any evidence of corruption can the whole process be nullified and rerun? If so, would it be just in respect of 2022, or was the 2018 vote intrinsically linked with 2022 that both bids would have to be rerun?

[arwebb]

Logically, given the allegations of collusion, it would mean a re-run of both bid votes. But, this is FIFA and I very much doubt anything will be done. After all, their general secretary said the votes were "perfectly organised" and "transparent".

[baron-pierreIV]

Logically, given the allegations of collusion, it would mean a re-run of both bid votes. But, this is FIFA and I very much doubt anything will be done. After all, their general secretary said the votes were "perfectly organised" and "transparent".

#1 - the Qataris and Russians would raise the HIGHEST STINK as being singled out.

#2 - They could see the maelstrom coming so they dotted their "i"s and X'ed their "t"s; had a lawyer (and I guess notary) present, and an accredited accounting house to certify the results, thereby satisfying the barest minimums of Swiss law. So that made last week's votes perfectly valid and legal at least on the surface. They're NOT that dumb in that respect yaknow.

#3 - Manifesting motives is as difficult as conjuring up the Deathly Hallows.

[gotosy]

Blatter says FIFA not corrupt, England bad losers

ZURICH | Wed Dec 8, 2010 10:12pm IST

(Reuters) - FIFA president Sepp Blatter has rejected allegations of corruption at soccer's governing body after Russia and Qatar won the right to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, calling England "bad losers" for their reaction.

"To be honest, I was surprised by all the English complaining after the defeat. England, of all people, the motherland of fairplay ideas," Blatter told Swiss weekly magazine Weltwoche in an interview released ahead of publication on Thursday.

"Now some of them are showing themselves to be bad losers," he said. "You can't come afterwards and say so and so promised to vote for England. The results are known. The outcome came out clearly."

Roger Burden, acting chairman of the Football Association, withdrew his application for the permanent position last week, saying he could no longer trust FIFA members after the failure of England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup.

He added that England's bid team in Zurich, which included Prime Minister David Cameron and the second in line to the throne, Prince William, were promised votes which had not been delivered by FIFA executive committee members.

Blatter said the reaction of the losing bidders showed some did not understand his drive to expand soccer's frontiers.

"I really sense in some reactions a bit of the arrogance of the western world of Christian background. Some simply can't bear it if others get a chance for a change," he said.

"What can be wrong if we start football in regions where this sport demonstrates a potential which goes far beyond sport?" he said.

England's bid chief Andy Anson has suggested Blatter influenced committee members before the vote by reminding them of British media stories which alleged corruption against them and led to two being banned.

Blatter rejected the corruption allegations and said he was being targeted by anti-FIFA journalists: "There is no systematic corruption in FIFA. That is nonsense," he said. "We are financially clean and clear."

But Blatter said FIFA could not act as if nothing had happened, adding he wanted to set up a taskforce to look into compliance issues, without giving details.

"We need to improve our image. We also need to clarify some things within FIFA," he said.

Asked if he would still be FIFA president to open the Qatar World Cup in 2022, Blatter said: "Definitely not. If God wills it, I will be invited to the opening party on crutches or in a wheelchair"

Reuters

[Rob2012]

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

That is all

[Olympian2004]

Oh, can't simply shut someone that crappy caricature of a FIFA president up? Especially his statement "I really sense in some reactions a bit of the arrogance of the western world of Christian background" is outrageous. That has nothing to do with arrogance due to religious issues, but with resistance against corrupt pinheads like you and many of your executives are, Sepp.

[Rob2012]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJHuY_8yz0c

[baron-pierreIV]

RobH, funny...but bordering on petty...

[Rob2012]

It's not bordering on petty, it is petty, that was the point.

Pointing out every flaw in what he says would just be repeating everything that's already been said on this forum about FIFA. Much better instead to post a video of ol' Septic Bladder falling off a stage.

[FYI]

Commenting on Australia and, for 2018, England being knocked out in the first round with three votes between them, he said there was a concerted effort to get Russia and Qatar past the winning post.

"There were those within the Committee who were strategically orchestrating the victories of Russia and Qatar," Murray said.

"They wanted England and Australia out in the first round because they were the biggest threats.

"Japan and Korea got votes in early rounds in order to make sure Australia did not have enough to go into second round.

Hmmmmmmm, sounds so incredibly akin to the 2016 Olympic bid race.

[baron-pierreIV]

Hmmmmmmm, sounds so incredibly akin to the 2016 Olympic bid race.

I think the 2016 Olympic race set a BAD precedent. It looks like with a SECRET ballot, these people on an international board seem ONLY too willingly to unleash their pent-up 'stick-it-to-'em' hostilities towards the old order (US, UK. I guess Oz) at the drop of a hat.

Instead of a counter FIFA, the USA, UK, OZ, etc. should ask for FULLY TRANSPARENT elections from both the IOC and FIFA. No MORE SECRET ballots and NO ONE HIDES BEHIND THOSE!! That is what they should strive for.

[Kenadian]

It is fine for FIFA to want to go to new frontiers. But make that the point up front.

I have no real issue with Russia hosting. Would have preferred England, but Russia will do a fine enough job.

As for Qatar...WTF? It is just so irresponsible to place that in a country of 1.6 million. Fine. If FIFA wanted to go to the Middle East, they could have looked at some sort of sharing agreement between Qatar, Bahrain and the UAE. Those countries are all close to one another, are all wealthy, have grandiose ambitions, and enough cities to make for a fair and natural spread of stadia and hotels. And with 12 years to coordinate it, they could have done it.

Oh well...I kinda predict that happening anyway when FIFA and Qatar realize they both got more than they bargained for. Wouldn't be the first time FIFA had to make drastic changes to their plans.

[Sir Rols]

Oh well...I kinda predict that happening anyway when FIFA and Qatar realize they both got more than they bargained for. Wouldn't be the first time FIFA had to make drastic changes to their plans.

Plus they've got 12 years to make any tweaks they want. I agree, it seems to me highly likely that they'll simply have to pull in a few more sub-hosts.

[FYI]

I'm kinda surprised that Qatar & the UAE didn't go in on it together to begin with. But then again, they're always trying to outdo one another.

[arwebb]

Oh, can't simply shut someone that crappy caricature of a FIFA president up? Especially his statement "I really sense in some reactions a bit of the arrogance of the western world of Christian background" is outrageous. That has nothing to do with arrogance due to religious issues, but with resistance against corrupt pinheads like you and many of your executives are, Sepp.

I sense a lack of basic intelligence in everything that ever comes out of Blatter's mouth. Bad losers? Maybe so if the process wasn't bent!

[FYI]

It is fine for FIFA to want to go to new frontiers. But make that the point up front.

That's what many said right after the 2016 Olympic bid race. And then some were quick to say that the bidders know the 'risk' (or at least they should know) when throwing their hat in the ring. That there are no guarantees or promises in the bidding process.

[nykfan845]

Blatter is truly an idiot.