On a day when Australians should have been discussing football for all the right reasons and the brilliant spectacle that was Sydney FC versus Chelsea, politics instead dominated the headlines.
After months of calls for Sepp Blatter’s resignation as FIFA president in the wake of corruption allegations, the actual resignation announcement created more uncertainty.
The timing alone seems strange.
Days after being re-elected, Blatter – a man who seemed so certain that he was the one to take charge and deliver an overhaul of the organisation – instead fell on his sword.
Was he pushed by major sponsors who certainly wanted him out, or was it a combination of factors?
Reports suggest Blatter is being investigated by US officials as part of the corruption scandal. If he is implicated in any previous World Cup bids then it has massive ramifications for the sport and the bidding process in general.
Australia spent more than $40 million on trying to secure the 2022 World Cup which controversially went to Qatar. Last year the Abbott Government considered legal action to recoup the money.
For that to happen there would need to be irrefutable evidence that Qatar gained the tournament through unscrupulous means and that other countries had no chance of fairly bidding to host the event.
But Australia may not be immune from the controversy, with former Australian football executive, Bonita Mersiade asking the Australian Federal Police to investigate a payment of $500,000 by Football Federation Australia to former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner.
Meanwhile, the US indictment rap sheet is pursuing charges for the 14 FIFA officials and marketing executives which alleges wire fraud and money laundering since 1991.
The end result will be make or break for FIFA.
If it does implicate World Cup bids and there is a re-vote would Australia even bother trying again?
Put aside any possible corruption and it’s still a massive effort to convince FIFA. Frank Lowy and his team were told the World Cup has to be run in June and set about trying to get support from rival football codes like the AFL to use their stadia. That was a struggle with the AFL standing firm on Docklands Stadium.
The frustration must have been immense once they found out that Qatar’s 2022 event was allowed to break the firm June rules and instead move the tournament to November-December for the first time due to the heat.
This unfair scheduling backflip alone showed that FIFA needs a complete overhaul of the way it conducts the bidding process.
No matter what the outcome of the investigation, the beautiful game has been tarnished.
Every World Cup bid will continue to be clouded in conspiracy unless the organisation becomes a lot more transparent, starting with where did Australia’s $40 million go?
Are you the ultimate team manager? Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.
Emi Martinez was saved by a new rule that resets yellow cards at the end of extra time, meaning his second yellow for taunting…
This season the top five leagues rankings of European football have been flipped on its head, as new competition heavyweights emerge. Just look at…
In all likelihood, just sixth spot remains up for grabs as we approach the final three rounds of A-League action in season 2023/24 and…
Not only did Erling Haaland's header hit the bar, but Bernardo Silva missed the rebound tap-in that came off his knee. Manchester City went…
After Manchester City saved Luka Modric's shot, the person in the stands didn't return the ball, holding up the penalty shootout for almost a…
Bayern Munich scored the only goal to defeat Arsenal 1-nil and progress to the semifinals. Former player Martin Keown says it's disappointing his former…
