What shall FIFA do now?

[Tony E Loves Architecture]

More like Blatter in secret talks to offer a specific amount of money, to pay to keep his job. Corruption.

We all know how you will keep your job Blatter, the same way you gave Russia and Qatar the 2018 and 2022 Fifa World Cup's.

[zekekelso]

More like Blatter in secret talks to offer a specific amount of money, to pay to keep his job. Corruption.

Nah, you aren't thinking like a kleptocrat. Blatter is probably negotiating for a payout now, a high paying fake job going forward, plus getting to put one of his cronies in his seat.

[Tony E Loves Architecture]

Nah, you aren't thinking like a kleptocrat. Blatter is probably negotiating for a payout now, a high paying fake job going forward, plus getting to put one of his cronies in his seat.

Yeah true, Blatter will always find a way to keep his job, or at least keep his influence in FIFA.

[Tony E Loves Architecture]

The other question I have is, do you reckon Blatter and other FIFA members knew how much trouble choosing Russia and Qatar as hosts would cause? Or were they too worried about getting the corrupt money from Russia and Qatar?

[Sir Rols]

What "trouble" is Russia's hosting causing? It was the expected favourite in the 2018 vote, it was greeted with general approval at the time (even within commentary from England) and there's never been talk about taking it off them or moving it... except from you. Anything recently has all to do with politics, nothing more. And aren't you often saying politics and sports shouldn't be mixed? If there's been questions over corruption in the Russian bid (as well as the England and Australia bids) it's been in the aftermath of outrage over QATAR. LET IT REST - England will NOT be hosting 2018.

Edited December 30, 2014 by Sir Rols

[Alexjc]

The other question I have is, do you reckon Blatter and other FIFA members knew how much trouble choosing Russia and Qatar as hosts would cause? Or were they too worried about getting the corrupt money from Russia and Qatar?

Qatar? Maybe...Russia, no, they were legit and welcomed as a successful future host. (at the time).

[Tony E Loves Architecture]

Qatar? Maybe...Russia, no, they were legit and welcomed as a successful future host. (at the time).

I disagree. Both were full of corruption, just Qatar got more attention.

[Quaker2001]

I disagree. Both were full of corruption, just Qatar got more attention.

There was corruption, but when is there ever not corruption? The backlash against Qatar was that they are not fit to host a World Cup. Can't really say that about Russia. As much as their politics came to the forefront because of the Olympics last year, the view many had on them was that it was a new market for FIFA, a country with a large population that could capably host the event. Hard to argue against any of that. Lumping Russia and Qatar together because of 'corruption' isn't really being fair to the 2 countries. Should Qatar be hosting a World Cup? Absolutely not. Should Russia? Harder to make a case against them simply because of who they were up against.

[Sir Rols]

I disagree. Both were full of corruption, just Qatar got more attention.

Thing is Tony, if you're going to talk corruption, both England and Australia played that game as well. If we'd have been chosen, it would be equally as tainted.

And I'll still repeat - Russia was a rather popular choice at the time.

[StefanMUC]

There are even question marks on how Germany got 2006...if we want to dig deeper, we will find some corpses in most cellars...

Russia as such is capable to host a WC, unlike Qatar. Whether their 2018 was pushed in some unclean way, however, seems probable but does not affect that it is a logical choice. In the meantime, Putin politics came into the way, that's a much darker cloud IMHO.

[reindeer]

Russia was at the moment completely legitimate and logical choice and I find it rather silly to put it in the same basket with Qatar. If the vote was held tomorrow they may not win but there are other reasons behind that.

[Tony E Loves Architecture]

I'm still doubtful about Russia though, but let's agree to disagree. I suppose we have to deal with it now.

[Quaker2001]

I'm still doubtful about Russia though, but let's agree to disagree. I suppose we have to deal with it now.

What are you doubtful about? Many of us have issues with their politics, but are you concerned they won't get the stadiums built? Are you worried they won't be able to put on a successful World Cup? That's an issue with Qatar. It's not an issue with Russia.

[zekekelso]

He's doubtful that they deserved to win, but he's accepted it and wants to move on.

Assuming he's serious... let's give this new Tony a chance.

[gotosy]

Prince Ali to challenge Sepp Blatter for Fifa presidency

Fifa vice-president Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein will challenge incumbent Sepp Blatter for the leadership of world football's governing body.

The Jordanian Prince, 39, will stand as a candidate at Fifa's presidential election on 29 May, where Blatter, 78, will seek a fifth term of office.

Prince Ali said: "It is time to shift the focus away from administrative controversy and back to sport.

"The headlines should be about football, not about Fifa."

Prince Ali, president of Jordanian football since 1999, said he had been encouraged to stand by colleagues.

"The message I heard, over and over, was that it is time for a change," the Asian Football Confederation's vice-president said.

"The world game deserves a world-class governing body - an international federation that is a service organisation and a model of ethics, transparency and good governance."

Prince Ali, also head of the West Asian Football Federation, was one of a number of officials who called for the publication of ethics investigator Michael Garcia's report into allegations of corruption surrounding the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids.

Uefa president Michel Platini is said to be "pleased" that Prince Ali has decided to enter the race and will attempt to get the Jordanian as many votes as possible in Europe.

Fifa has suffered a number of damaging corruption allegations during Blatter's 17-year reign.

Last month, former England captain Gary Lineker described the way Fifa was running world football as "a farce" after the governing body became embroiled in more allegations of World Cup bidding corruption

Garcia resigned last month in protest over the handling of his report into bidding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups in Russia and Qatar.

Fifa cleared both bidding teams of corruption following a series of allegations and said the tournaments would be staged in the countries chosen.

Meanwhile, BBC Sport revealed that secret talks between Fifa officials and Blatter, who has been president since 1998, took place over his future as leader of football's governing body.

Former diplomat Jerome Champagne, 56, who joined Fifa in 1999, is the only other challenger to have confirmed his intention to run for the presidency.

Candidates must declare their interest before 29 January.

BBC

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/30692577

[Tony E Loves Architecture]

If Blatter doesn't find a way to keep his job, the new Boss of Fifa has a very hard job trying to fix Fifa's reputation. Blatter has just ruined Fifa.

[zekekelso]

And now, a musical interlude

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

[Rob2012]

Davis Ginola might challenge Blatter for President. Unlikely, but would LOVE it if that happened....

(gives me a chance to post what is maybe my favourite ever goal)

Edited January 15, 2015 by Rob.

[Rob2012]

More seriously (Ginola's bid is actually just a PR stunt for an online betting firm) there is another organisation trying to force chance:

http://www.newfifanow.org/

https://twitter.com/newfifanow

Football players and fans who are concerned with how world football’s governing body, FIFA, is run have been invited to join a peoples’ campaign for a new FIFA.

The campaign will kick-off at a Summit to be held at the European Parliament in Brussels on January 21st that will be attended by FIFA Presidential candidate, Jerome Champagne; the man who led the technical inspection team for the 2018/2022 World Cup Bids, Harold Mayne-Nicholls; the former Chairman of the England Bid and the English FA, Lord David Triesman, as well as other high profile football identities.

“People have had enough,” said British MP, Damian Collins, who has been one of the most vocal critics of FIFA’s management and governance practices.

“I speak to amateur and professional players, fans, and mums and dads whose children play and love the game. It has reached the stage where FIFA is a laughing stock.

“We all love the game. But we all detest how it’s run.”

Collins said the Brussels Summit is the first vital step in making a new FIFA a reality.

It’s also the first of its kind where politicians, players, fans and corporations will come together in a campaign for change.

Champagne, Mayne-Nicholls and Triesman will be joined by co-hosts, European MPs Ivo Belet of Belgium and Emma McClarkin of England, as well as British MPs Gerry Sutcliffe, John Leech and Collins. Other attendees include the Chairman of SKINS, Jaimie Fuller, and Bonita Mersiades who is a former senior executive of the Australian FA and the Australian World Cup bid.

Collins says the Brussels Summit will focus on how change can happen.

“We don’t intend to talk about what is wrong with FIFA, as we all know what’s wrong.

“The experience since the Presidential election in 2011 - when we were promised things would change - shows that FIFA is incapable of reforming itself. But we also know that FIFA’s problems go much further back than that.”

Collins says that while recent events concerning the Garcia report into the conduct of the 2018/2022 World Cup Bids was the final motivation needed for he and other MPs to take action, the report and its publication is not a ‘first order’ issue.

“Like the decisions surrounding Russia and Qatar, the farce surrounding the Garcia report is symptomatic of a governing body where democracy, transparency and accountability were long ago forsaken in place of corruption, mismanagement and self-interest.”

He said that the Brussels Summit will focus on what mechanisms can be employed to make real change happen.

“This is not about shifting deck chairs on the Executive Committee of FIFA,” Collins said.

“It is real change for a new style of organisation that is befitting of FIFA’s position overseeing the biggest sport in the world.

“We want to see football governed by people who make decisions and take action in a transparent manner, and who are held accountable in the best interests of the sport and civil society.”

Collins urged everyone wishing to support the campaign for a New FIFA Now to sign the petition at www.newfifanow.org.

The Brussels Summit will be held in the European Parliament.

Edited January 16, 2015 by Rob.

[baron-pierreIV]

I shared above on my FB page!!

[Tony E Loves Architecture]

Blatter will always find a way to keep his job. Blatter will always corrupt Fifa.

[baron-pierreIV]

Blatter will always find a way to keep his job. Blatter will always corrupt Fifa.

Nope. Eventually he will run out of options ...and this latest move likes a well-orchestrated maneuver for which the old fool should take the cue.

[Tony E Loves Architecture]

Nope. Eventually he will run out of options ...and this latest move likes a well-orchestrated maneuver for which the old fool should take the cue.

People who are corrupt always find a way to keep their job. Blatter will always find a way to stay in Fifa IMO.

[Rob2012]

People who are corrupt always find a way to keep their job. Blatter will always find a way to stay in Fifa IMO.

He doesn't need to "find a way". He has the support of the majority of the world's FAs. He can sit back and do nothing between now and the election and he'll almost certainly still get re-elected.

That doesn't mean campaigns like the New FIFA Now one shouldn't be supported, even if their chances of success are slim.

[Tony E Loves Architecture]

I really don't know how anyone can support what Blatter is doing at Fifa. Blatter must be paying them for their support.