Scandals Involving World Cups 2018 & 2022

In my blogpost of 18 May 2010 entitled "Is World Cup 2010 Fixed?", I have read elsewhere and put it that the World Cup 2010 could be fixed and that Spain will advance all the way to the finals. Exactly what was being predicted and Spain won eventually!

Recently, the Sunday Times reporters went undercover and approached a number of FIFA committee members to gain advantage for a certain country (the reporters assumed the representation for USA) in the upcoming voting day on 2 December 2010 for the right to host the World Cup 2018 and World Cup 2022.

Unfortunately, the undercover reporters secretly recorded two of the conversations and I think FIFA's top officials are in a daze in handling this awkward situation.

Al Jazeera news clip for your viewing on the reported scam -


Two of those recorded conversations involved Amos Adamu of Nigeria and Reynald Temarii of Tahiti. It has been shown that both of them are willing to 'sell' their votes in return for some financial rewards.

Amos personally requested for £500,000 and Reynald requested for £1.5 million but to benefit a sports academy. Both have been suspended by FIFA for 3 years and 1 year respectivelt coupled with a fine of 10,000 Swiss Francs and 5,000 Swiss Francs accordingly. Suspension only? I would have kicked them out indefinitely as there was hard rock evidence.

The best part is Temarii has told the undercover reporters that two other bidding countries have approached him too withto figures of between £10 million to £12 million. Now, who could be the other two countries??????

In other words, there are lots of lobbyists out there hunting down those FIFA executive committee members (22 of them to be precise but minus 2 now) who have the voting rights right now up to 2 December 2010. The right to host the World Cup will involve billions of dollars and the spin-offs it could create in a particular country's economy during the World Cup month. What is £10 million compared to the billions to come?

I thought all this vote buying scandals happen during political elections but it's really a disease that even football is not spared.

FIFA has suspended four more officials after their names have been named in Sunday Times' investigation of the scandal. They are as follows:-
1. Slim Aloulou - FIFA dispute resolution chamber (suspended 2 yrs; fined £6,300)
2. Ahongalu Fusimalohi - General Secretary of Tonga Football Association (suspended3 yrs; fined £6,300)
3. Amadou Diakite - FIFA referees committee (suspended 3 yrs; fined £6,300)
4. Ismail Bhamjee - Honorary member of Confederation of African Football (suspended 4yrs; fined £6,300)

Another two persons named are former FIFA executives, namely Michel Zen-Ruffinen (former FIFA General Secretary) and Michel Bacchini (former FIFA tournament director) where punishments would be meted out in due course. These two fellas' crime were that they were able to tell the undercover reporters who amongst the 22 FIFA executive committee members that could be approached.
All these fellas are holding influential positions and they could have manipulated previous World Cups without us knowing.
Now, you tell me who's gonna win the bid to host the two World Cups? Russia has been rumoured to host the World Cup 2018 since May 2010, before the start of the World Cup 2010.

Who are the bidders for the World Cup 2018?
1. Belgium & Netherlands
2. England
3. Russia
4. Portugal & Spain

Who are the bidders for the World Cup 2022?
1. Australia
2. Japan
3. Qatar
4. South Korea
5. United States

You just never know that they may as well decide who will win the World Cup 2014 to be held in Brazil. Your guess is as good as mine.

Related post - Is World Cup 2010 Fixed?
Tags: Football, Soccer, World Cup 2018, World Cup 2022, FIFA, Sunday Times, Amos Adamu, Reynald Temarii, Voting Scandal, Bribery, World Cup Votes, FIFA Suspension