FIFA officials arrested in Switzerland on corruption charges

[DGuller]

The World Cup in Hong Kong? They would have to rip down the entire city just to make room.

Yeah, but think of all the economic activity that would be generated.

[DGuller]

Here is what I don't understand about FIFA:  why are European and South American associations, the ones that actually play football, going along with an organization that relies on bribing Asian and African countries to govern?  Can't UEFA and CONMEBOL (tee-hee) band together and start an organization that doesn't give the same number of votes to Afghanistan as it does to Germany?  Yes, Asian and African countries may balk, but then they can stick with FIFA and see if anyone cares when Chad plays Nepal in the World Cup finals.

[Syt]

Rumors say that if Blatter is re-elected, UEFA members consider withdrawing from FIFA tournaments.

[Admiral Yi]

Here is what I don't understand about FIFA:  why are European and South American associations, the ones that actually play football, going along with an organization that relies on bribing Asian and African countries to govern?  Can't UEFA and CONMEBOL (tee-hee) band together and start an organization that doesn't give the same number of votes to Afghanistan as it does to Germany?  Yes, Asian and African countries may balk, but then they can stick with FIFA and see if anyone cares when Chad plays Nepal in the World Cup finals.

I think you are demonstrating two incorrect assumptions.  FIFA is taking bribes to award hosting rights, not handing them out.  2nd, Europe and Latin America are not exactly bastions of opposition to corruption.

[Josephus]

Agree with Guller.

Hell with World Cups, which FIFA would own the name to.

UEFA winner v. Copa America winner for title of Champion of the World

[Syt]

Blatter's April tweet on (now arrested) Jeffrey Webb's re-election:

Congratulations to @jeffreywebb for his re-election as @CONCACAF President and FIFA Vice-President! This shows the trust in his leadership.

[Syt]

Here is what I don't understand about FIFA:  why are European and South American associations, the ones that actually play football, going along with an organization that relies on bribing Asian and African countries to govern?  Can't UEFA and CONMEBOL (tee-hee) band together and start an organization that doesn't give the same number of votes to Afghanistan as it does to Germany?  Yes, Asian and African countries may balk, but then they can stick with FIFA and see if anyone cares when Chad plays Nepal in the World Cup finals.

I think you are demonstrating two incorrect assumptions.  FIFA is taking bribes to award hosting rights, not handing them out.  2nd, Europe and Latin America are not exactly bastions of opposition to corruption.

Show me a major international sports body that's not corrupt and I'll show you a sport that's making so little money that corruption isn't worth it. (And the national organizations are often not better.)

[DGuller]

Here is what I don't understand about FIFA:  why are European and South American associations, the ones that actually play football, going along with an organization that relies on bribing Asian and African countries to govern?  Can't UEFA and CONMEBOL (tee-hee) band together and start an organization that doesn't give the same number of votes to Afghanistan as it does to Germany?  Yes, Asian and African countries may balk, but then they can stick with FIFA and see if anyone cares when Chad plays Nepal in the World Cup finals.

I think you are demonstrating two incorrect assumptions.  FIFA is taking bribes to award hosting rights, not handing them out.  2nd, Europe and Latin America are not exactly bastions of opposition to corruption.

Bribing goes two ways.  How is FIFA leadership getting elected in the first place?  That's right, by getting Afghanistan, Chad, and Nepal to vote for them.  I'm sure they have nothing but football interests at heart.

As for resistance to corruption, sure, almost everyone is corrupt to some extent.  But at least Europe is less corrupt than any other continent, and they actually have some interest in the sport, which may put pressure on decisions to not be 100% based on bribes.

[Admiral Yi]

You think Europe is less corrupt than North America? 

[Syt]

Here is what I don't understand about FIFA:  why are European and South American associations, the ones that actually play football, going along with an organization that relies on bribing Asian and African countries to govern?  Can't UEFA and CONMEBOL (tee-hee) band together and start an organization that doesn't give the same number of votes to Afghanistan as it does to Germany?  Yes, Asian and African countries may balk, but then they can stick with FIFA and see if anyone cares when Chad plays Nepal in the World Cup finals.

I think you are demonstrating two incorrect assumptions.  FIFA is taking bribes to award hosting rights, not handing them out.  2nd, Europe and Latin America are not exactly bastions of opposition to corruption.

Bribing goes two ways.  How is FIFA leadership getting elected in the first place?  That's right, by getting Afghanistan, Chad, and Nepal to vote for them.  I'm sure they have nothing but football interests at heart.

Blatter is pretty open with giving gifts. After the last World Cup, each FA got 2,000,000 or thereabouts, IIRC. Peanuts for the FA or the DFB, but huge sums for small island nations or many African states.

[The Minsky Moment]

Don't get hung up too much onto the technicalities of jurisdiction DG.
US law enforcement reach is like a public sector version of Ricardian competitive advantage in action - the US Attorneys and the DOJ are just better and more experienced at dealing with this kind of sprawling corruption and fraud than most other national authorities.  Since there isn't an international body to handle this sort of thing, the US DOJ naturally fills the gap.

This often creates annoyances overseas but in this particular instance, no one seems too concerned about US overreach here; instead the view seems to be relief that someone somewhere is willing to take the shovel into the Augean stables of FIFA.

[DGuller]

You think Europe is less corrupt than North America?

The northern part of it, yes.  The Mediterranean part of it, not so much.

[FunkMonk]

The whole rotten structure needs to be torn down. Won't happen though.

[Syt]

Blatter in his opening speech: these are the deeds of a few individuals; we can't allow the reputation of football to be dragged into the dirt by these people; only a small minority in all of football are corrupt etc. etc.

[crazy canuck]

Blatter in his opening speech: these are the deeds of a few individuals; we can't allow the reputation of football to be dragged into the dirt by these people; only a small minority in all of football are corrupt etc. etc.

Well he has a point.  The vast majority of people involved in the sport are not corrupt.  It is just the small minority who run FIFA that are of concern.