We are transfixed by the obvious. If WikiLeaks divulges documents that reveal commonly known antipathies between states, the guardians of the world’s worst kept secrets have little to do but squeal and condemn.
‘Principles’ become important. Prosecution becomes paramount.
So, is the BBC Panorama program on FIFA, aired on Monday, over-egging an already putrid pudding? Trading votes has taken place in the past. Officials have been bribed.
This episode was particularly juicy, making the claims that FIFA executives Ricardo Teixeira, Issa Hayatou and Nicolas Leoz had received money from International Sport and Leisure (ISL), a sport marketing firm which had been awarded World Cup rights.
To this can be added Jack Warner of Trinidad and Tobago and his ticket fiddling, completing this less than scrupulous gang of four.
These officials are certainly not the lowest on the rung. Leoz of Paraguay is head of South America’s football confederation. Teixeira is head of the Brazilian Football Confederation responsible for staging the 2014 World Cup. Hayatou is one of FIFA’s vice-presidents, the bureaucratic face of African football. Warner is another of the body’s vice presidents.
These came in the form of 175 payments totalling $100 million. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) was also netted, largely because Hayatou has also been a member of that less than squeaky clean body.
It is pressing the BBC to hand over the relevant proof. FIFA remains satisfied that previous investigations revealed nothing untoward in the dealings with ISL.
The timing was certainly poor for bidding countries hoping to make their claims for hosting the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Candidates who had marshalled their bids were caught off guard, being shown to be compliant in the face of extortionate demands made by that expansive reptile of the world’s most popular sport.
The English FA was peeved, arguing that the investigation had been an ‘embarrassment to the BBC’ and irrelevant to the bidding process. The British Prime Minister David Cameron has proven indifferent to the allegations, preferring to focus on England’s bid.
It makes little sense to assume that Panorama should have revealed its findings till after the bid. The process of selection is rotten to the core.
BBC executive editor Clive Edwards was certainly in the right on this one, stating: “I’m not prepared to sit on information we have. I believe that it is in everyone’s interest that there should be a fair process and that corruption should be exposed” (Nov 30).
Suggestions abound here as to how to deal with an organisation that has often jeopardised the mission of promoting football in favour of political intrigue and self-enrichment.
Various countries might pull out of the organisation altogether. The absence of heavy weight nations in the game of football might pose a frontal attack on the cadres of FIFA.
But this doesn’t answer one vital problem: that numerous foot balling federations are themselves riddled with corrupt representatives. Like begets like. For FIFA to change, the entire institutional structure of football’s bureaucracy must change with it.
Binoy Kampmark was a Commonwealth Scholar at Selwyn College, Cambridge. He lectures at RMIT University, Melbourne.
mahony
Guest
I like the Kangaroo, Elle and the bid film. Take your cultural cringe else where!
mahony
Guest
Even Indi is catching the bug. I read somewhere that in two particular Indian states football is allrweady the bigger participation sport. India is a diverse place Tah. Having said all that - I take your point.....
mahony
Guest
How did you feel about Elle, the Kangaroo and our presentation Jason?????????????????
jamesb
Guest
australias bid was over months ago. Don't think otherwise. Australias bid didn't provide a solution to the time difference to europe and also didn't have a business plan that had new revenue streams that would make a world cup in Australia more profitable. Thats where we lost the bid. MONEY, not the silly kangeroo, MONEY
Millster
Guest
Makes me wonder what we did in 1993 to get the Sydney 2000 decision from IOC. What I'm saying is, before we bleat too loud, remember we have danced with FIFA and the IOC ourselves before...
Robbie Di Fabio
Roar Guru
Staging the 2018/22 bids simultaneously was planned to invoke corruption and bribery, bravo FIFA!
oikee
Guest
No the film did not break our bid, but it certainly made us look stupid. As for corruption, gee whiz, the world's largest sporting body, just had a deleget suspended for accepting bribes, time we all moved on, after all, Australia is now officially at the bottom of the world. Maybe its also time the crybabies moved on also, talk about embarressing. Yes yes yes, if you dont like it move overseas. Why not use old cliche's, we seem good at dragging out the past, Kangaroo and Hoges anyone.
apaway
Roar Guru
Whether you were enamoured by the cartoon kangaroo and Croc Dundee or not, the Aussie bid film did not make or break our bid. The bid team were most certainly lied to, by men who cannot lie straight in bed, and if the worst thing to come out of this is that we are accused of naivety, then I'll take that over lining dishonest corrupt FIFA Ex-Co pockets with petro-dollars in order to gain a decision which was nothing but a pipe dream, a promise and a fancy video.
Melanie Dinjaski
Roar Guru
Binoy Kampmark! What a surprise! I had you for a course in my first year at UQ. Can't exactly remember but I think it might've been American history through film? Anyway, its nice to see you on The Roar! Great article by the way. So frustrated at FIFA at the moment.
mushi
Guest
Yep Australia didn't loses because it dleivered the lowest return in terms of economics or prestige - we lost becuase of corruption.
MyLeftFoot
Roar Guru
Yes, it's beyond me how anyone could have paid good money for such an amateurish video.
Tortion
Guest
We lost to Qatar, the US, South Korea and Japan.
Derby County FC
Guest
get over it! Yes you can, but you can't take it to your seat.
David
Guest
Qatar had a good bid Korea and USA hosted the world cup not to long ago. Japan had no chance Realistically Qatar certainly paid off some the officials. However out bid was pretty average, i mean Oceania said they were going to vote for USA so we were never going to win. I reckon the world cup bid should of been aimed at how a world cup could grow football in Australia how we need a world cup to boost our code in a market that has little respect for football. We took the tourism approach we got one vote honestly i watch the final pitch last night it was never going to win a world cup. I said the bid was the worst thing to happen to Australia 50 million could have been a boost for grass roots, A-league and Socceroos for 5 years. Now we have no promotion in our league, state league teams are on the verge of collapse and the A-league has the lowest crowds and a debt. On a personal and totally biased note Qatar is probably the worst place to have a world cup especially during the summer i certainly wont be going there i assure you most Europeans wont because of the heat. Qatar has never been to a world cup so here is to Qatar getting smashed 5-0 every game including the confederations cup. Not being about to drink is another joke Fifa might have pocketed a lot of money in regards to bribes but they will lose billions on this world cup. South Africa was a mistake the 'African world cup' was the worst world cup ever and 'Arab world cup' can only be worse. Also there league and attitude to football in regards to over paying everyone and season high crowds of 6k will bring about the worst in football. Good on the FFA for getting a bid together although lets be honest it was a stupid idea because of all the money we lost. We're not a foolishly wealthy country i think the money could have been better spent, and seriously with rival codes not supporting our bid what makes us think the rest of the world would? lets be honest for a second the only way Australia will ever get the world cup is if we all banned together Andrew Demetriou will be celebrating with a bottle of champaign tonight. In summary The good guys lost today it happens i think we all would have been happy to go down to USA or even Japan but Qatar was the biggest joker of them all and money talks. i like to believe the world is a fair place and what goes around comes around but let us be honest it's not.
Get over it!
Guest
I don't understand what alcohol has to do with a football world cup. You can't drink during an English Premier League game either. Well done to Qatar. We put in an average bid and got knocked out in the first round.
Jason
Roar Guru
Or present a competent bid, not a hackneyed video with ageing, forgotten 1980's "stars".
Jason
Roar Guru
Good grief, what nonsense. FIFA care about the revenue and Qatar had that all over Australia. No one but the host nation cares how many people turn up, it's about TV revenue. Leave your cultural cringe at the door.
MyLeftFoot
Roar Guru
It's a tough world out there. To compete, we need to change our values, lower our standards, play to a different set of rules.
MyLeftFoot
Roar Guru
We need to embrace the world. That includes the social mores and life philosophies of Qatar.
sledgeross
Guest
Whats that got to do with anything True Tah?