What shall FIFA do now?

[Alexjc]

Or Tony, you could *not* go on. That would be better, wouldn't it?

He won't listen.

...and by the way Tony...Santa Claus isn't real, it just your parents leading you on...ever notice how Santa's handwriting on your presents are the same as mom and dad's?

Sorry for ruining your day...actually, no I'm not!

[Fox334]

Okay, it's official. I want FIFA to move the 2022 World Cup to the United Kingdom, preferably with the finals played in Belfast or something like that, just to see Tony's head explode. Bonus points if FIFA forces the four home nations to compete as one team.

[Tony E Loves Architecture]

He won't listen.

...and by the way Tony...Santa Claus isn't real, it just your parents leading you on...ever notice how Santa's handwriting on your presents are the same as mom and dad's?

Sorry for ruining your day...actually, no I'm not!

They didn't mislead Me. Don't bring My Family into the argument. Your such a nasty Person.

Okay, it's official. I want FIFA to move the 2022 World Cup to the United Kingdom, preferably with the finals played in Belfast or something like that, just to see Tony's head explode. Bonus points if FIFA forces the four home nations to compete as one team.

Won't happen. Only England will Host it.

[zekekelso]

They didn't mislead Me. Don't bring My Family into the argument. Your such a nasty Person.

So you think Santa is real?

[ofan]

So you think Santa is real?

Well he also thinks England will host the World Cup in 2018, so it wouldn't surprise me.

[Tony E Loves Architecture]

England won't Host the 2018 Fifa World Cup because Fifa are corrupt. If Fifa were fair, England would be Hosting the 2018 Fifa World Cup.

[Alexjc]

England won't Host the 2018 Fifa World Cup because Fifa are corrupt. If Fifa were fair, England would be Hosting the 2018 Fifa World Cup.

No!! If Fifa was fair...Australia would be hosting the 2018 WC!

Santa will be here soon...So you better behave!!!

They didn't mislead Me. Don't bring My Family into the argument. Your such a nasty Person.

It's spelt You're as in you are...hate to see your o-level grades

[Rob2012]

As we all suspected, FIFA couldn't run a bath...

A complaint by the man who spent two years investigating World Cup corruption claims for Fifa has been dismissed by football's governing body.

US lawyer Michael Garcia's findings were released as a 42-page summary by Fifa-appointed independent judge Hans-Joachim Eckert.

Garcia said his summary was "incomplete and erroneous" and he appealed against it to Fifa's Appeal Committee.

However, it has now ruled that Garcia's complaint is "not admissible".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30491135

So where does this leave us? Absolute fvcking farce.

Edited December 16, 2014 by Rob.

[Tony E Loves Architecture]

No!! If Fifa was fair...Australia would be hosting the 2018 WC!

Santa will be here soon...So you better behave!!!

It's spelt You're as in you are...hate to see your o-level grades

England should have Hosted the 2018 Fifa World Cup, Australia should have Hosted the 2022 Fifa World Cup. That's what should have happened if Fifa was going to do the Right thing.

[Rob2012]

GARCIA QUITS, hits out at FIFA leadership and culture....

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/dec/17/michael-garcia-resigns-fifa-ethics-committee?CMP=share_btn_tw

[baron-pierreIV]

Gosh, why don't the militants attack FIFA hqtrs instead of markets, schools, cafes and shopping centers??

Edited December 17, 2014 by baron-pierreIV

[Rob2012]

Because Dragons

[baron-pierreIV]

Oh wait; they're meeting in Morocco next week.

Can we commune mentally with Al Qaeda or Boko Haraam??

[Rob2012]

A couple of weeks old, from BBC's Have I Got News For You

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjKliVYrFz0

[Tony E Loves Architecture]

Even some People that work for Fifa have had enough of Blatter and Fifa's corruption.

[Mr Tickle]

Looks like they voted to release the full report

[Rob2012]

Looks like they voted to release the full report

with caveats...it won't be for a while and only what's "legally possible" (what does this mean?)

And Hello Davey, long time no see....fancy entering the logo comp again this year?

Edited December 19, 2014 by Rob.

[Mr Tickle]

Apparently Blatter asked them to vote yes as well...What a guy!

Hello Rob, Im here more than you think, just lurking. Not got any time to work on a logo this time, there looks like some pretty nice ideas in the mix this year though.

[StefanMUC]

I'm sure a released report would have the juiciest bids blackened anyway.

And Blatter insists there'll be no re-vote, so it doesn't really matter wrt hosting.

[Tony E Loves Architecture]

I don't believe We will ever know the full Truth. Blatter and Fifa will always find a way to keep away the Truth and to keep on the corruption.

[baron-pierreIV]

Yup, here's the latest...

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/dec/19/fifa-agrees-publish-michael-garcia-report-world-cup-bid-qatar-russia?CMP=ema_565

[Tony E Loves Architecture]

This is just getting worse and worse for Fifa. Blatter needs to leave Fifa.

[Alexjc]

Yup, here's the latest...

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/dec/19/fifa-agrees-publish-michael-garcia-report-world-cup-bid-qatar-russia?CMP=ema_565

Wooo...This just gets worse.

But what can bve done now?

[Frenchy]

"Fifa and Sepp Blatter in secret talks about president's future"

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/30572224

Secret talks between Fifa officials and Sepp Blatter have taken place over his future as the president of football's world governing body, BBC Sport has learned.

The discussions, which involved representatives from a number of football confederations, are understood to have started in October 2013 at the celebrations for the Football Association's 150th anniversary.

Blatter has since confirmed his likely intention to stand in next May's presidential election and seek a fifth term of office.

However, with the 29 January deadline for candidates to declare their interest in standing in the May election looming, there is mounting concern amongst several Fifa executives over the governing body's future direction and leadership.

Speaking in Manilla earlier this month, Blatter reaffirmed he has support from five of the six confederations that constitute Fifa.

But BBC Sport has been told the recent crisis within the governing body stemming from an investigation into alleged World Cup bidding corruption, which culminated last week in the resignation of ethics committee investigator Michael Garcia, could yet have far-reaching effects.

Garcia quit citing a lack of independence in Fifa's judicial processes and his belief the organisation's culture was beyond reform.

Speaking to BBC Sport one source described 78-year-old Blatter as being increasingly "weary" following years of fire-fighting multiple scandals, a hectic work schedule and the acrimonious fall-out from the decision to award the next two World Cups to Russia and Qatar.

Fifa sources have also spoken of how, in light of recent events, a number of potential challengers are now weighing their candidacy options.

Blatter on 2022 World Cup:

"It would really need an earthquake, extremely important new elements, to go back on this World Cup in Qatar."

The question being posed within Fifa circles is whether Blatter, if he opts to stand aside ahead of May's election, would support the candidacy of one of the five publicly supportive confederation presidents.

Uefa, the European confederation, remains the most vocal critic of Blatter's desire to continue on as president.

European football association chiefs, including FA chairman Greg Dyke, told Blatter he should stand aside for the good of the sport during a stormy meeting in Sao Paulo in June.

Despite that it has yet to propose a candidate of its own, with president Michel Platini ruling himself out of the running in July.

Fifa executive committee member Prince Ali of Jordan is understood to be another potential candidate Uefa would consider supporting.

Given that the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), under the leadership of Shaikh Salman of Bahrain, has declared strong support for Blatter it is thought he would struggle to secure the necessary votes to win.

In addition, Ali is facing his own fight to remain a Fifa executive with AFC elections looming and he may yet choose to focus his attention on that objective instead.

He is not expected to announce his decision until late January and declined to comment last week when asked if he would stand.

With former Fifa official Jerome Champagne the only other person to publicly state his wish to be on the presidential ballot paper, attention amongst Fifa insiders is starting to turn to Jeffrey Webb.

Webb was appointed president of Concacaf, the football confederation for North, Central America and the Caribbean, in 2012 in the wake a major financial scandal involving the former Fifa vice presidents Chuck Blazer and Jack Warner.

Since then he has stabilised the organisation's finances and has led Fifa's anti-discrimination taskforce, which has introduced tough new sanctions for racism offences within the game.

Webb has stated he does not intend to run for the presidency in 2015, with the expectation amongst observers that he intends to target the 2019 poll instead.

But as the pressure on Blatter continues to build, and given the recent haemorrhaging of Fifa's credibility, Webb is believed to be considering his options.

He is thought to be undecided over whether now is the right time to attempt to seize power.

Blatter has praised Webb in the past, lavishing praise on his efforts to reform Caribbean football at a Concacaf conference last year.

Shaikh Salman is another name thought to be under discussion amongst insiders along with Fifa general secretary, Jerome Valcke, as candidates Blatter could potentially accept as a successor.

With five weeks to go until the deadline for presidential candidates to formally declare their candidacy, it is thought Blatter's actions in Marrakech last week, where he backed the redacted publication of the Garcia report once current investigations have concluded, has provided him with sufficient political breathing space to make it onto the list of nominees.

But the man who has led Fifa since 1998 was far from convincing about his candidacy when asked last week by BBC Sport if he would categorically run.

"We will see on 1 February who are the candidates for the election," he said.

"Probably you will see my name there because I've been asked by a lot of national associations to do so. But let me pass Christmas, or let's say the fiestas at the end of the year, and give me then the opportunity to say: 'Yes I will be present.'"

Blatter has also spoken about the "health and good luck" he would need to stand, comments seen by some within Fifa as a sign he may yet choose to stand aside.

Fifa executives are also thought to fear that any further serious allegations in the next few months against the organisation could seriously destabilise world football.

Reports of an FBI investigation concerning Fifa, or the prospect of action by other foreign law enforcement agencies, has led some to believe there should now be an orderly transfer of power.

The possibility of the Garcia report being published in April or May - and the conclusion of disciplinary cases against three serving Fifa executives - is seen by some as a potential opportunity for Blatter to depart under the claim he instigated and completed a thorough reform process.

Four years of controversy

2 December, 2010 - Russia and Qatar chosen to host 2018 and 2022 World Cups

4 October, 2013 - Fifa agrees to set up taskforce to look into alternative dates for 2022 World Cup in Qatar

1 June, 2014 - Sunday Times alleges ex-Fifa vice-president Mohamed bin Hammam paid £3m to football officials in return for supporting Qatari bid

5 September, 2014 - Report into 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding process submitted to Fifa by Michael Garcia

13 November, 2014 - Fifa releases 42-page summary of Garcia report which clears Russia and Qatar of corruption

13 November, 2014 - Garcia claims summary of his report is "materially incomplete" and contains "erroneous representations"

20 November, 2014 - Garcia and Fifa ethics judge Hans-Joachim Eckert agree to release full report to organisation's compliance chief, Domenico Scala

16 December, 2014 - Fifa deems Garcia's complaint against Eckert's summary of his report is "not admissible"

17 December, 2014 - Garcia quits as independent chairman of the Fifa Ethics Committee's Investigatory Chamber

19 December, 2014 - Fifa agrees to release full Garcia report

A valedictory review by Fifa of his time in charge of world football would also allow Blatter to enter retirement basking in the glow of taking the World Cup to new countries, highlight his work with football associations in conflict zones such as Israel and Palestine and showcase how football has risen in recent decades to be the world's most popular sport.

But should Blatter decide to stay and fight for a fifth term his opponents are growing in confidence that the right candidate could garner the necessary global support to defeat him.

A majority of 50% of the 209 Fifa member associations plus one additional vote is required to claim victory in the Fifa presidential election.

[baron-pierreIV]

Pope Francis!! He is also making ground-breaking reforms in that other corrupt organization, the Catholic Church.

If the Vatican uses Swiss guards, let FIFA use Italian guards!!