FIFA’s executive committee will go ahead with its selection of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup hosts as scheduled on Dec. 2 in Zurich. Suggestions that the meeting be postponed in wake of the growingscandal that has resulted in the suspension of two executive committee members were rejected. FIFA president Sepp Blatter said FIFA’s ethics […]
world cup 2022
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Russian bid chief terms England complaint 'strange'
The World Cup 2018/22 bid process is quickly degenerating into a farce as England has filed a complaint against 2018 opponent Russia for remarks by bid leader Alexei Sorokin critical of London’s high crime rate and levels of teenage drinking, as well as the “ethnic hatred” Manchester United incited by burning an American flag at […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Swiss minister to investigate FIFA corruption charges
Zurich weekly SonntagsZeitung reported that Swiss sports minister Ueli Maurer has ordered an investigation into reports of corruption in international sportsfederations, most notably Zurich-based FIFA, which has been rocked by reports of vote-rigging in the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bid processes. Many international sports federations are basedin Switzerland because of the country’s favorable tax […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Troubling news for U.S. bidders
[MY VIEW] These can’t be easy times for those backing the U.S. bid to host the 2022 World Cup. If the latest revelations into the World Cup 2018/22 bid processcascading out of control are to be believed, the U.S. bid could be dead in its tracks. Michel Zen-Ruffinen, the former FIFA general secretary, toldundercover reporters […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
The cloud of corruption
[MY VIEW] Wednesday’s decision by FIFA’s ethics committee to provisionally suspend six men — including executive committee members Amos Adamu and Reynald Temarii — for their roles in the Sunday Times’ sting operation examining the World Cup 2018/22 bid process was a measureof damage control. But the decision and subsequent media conference at which FIFA […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Blatter: 'A sad day for football'
[WORLD CUP 2018/22 BIDS] FIFA’s ethics committee provisionally suspended FIFA executive committee members Amos Adamu andReynald Temarii on Wednesday in response to the London Times’ sting operation in which they were caught discussing the trade of their votes for the 2018 and2022 World Cup hosts with undercover reporters in exchange for the funding of so-called […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Sting operation puts price tag on votes
[WORLD CUP 2018/22 BIDS] The Sunday Times’ sting operation blew out of the water the notion that FIFA business is all above board. Reporters fromthe London paper posed as lobbyists for a U.S. business consortium trying secure support for the USA’s (since-terminated) bid to host the 2018 World Cup. One FIFA executive committeemember, Nigerian Amos […]
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
FIFA Bidding Scandal: Why did Brit newspaper involve the USA?
By Paul Gardner Absolutely asking for it. That would be a concise comment on FIFA’s bidding process for the rights to stage the 2018 and 2022 World Cups — nowengulfed in allegations of corruption. This is a process similar to that used by the International Olympic Committee to decide which city stages the Olympic Games. […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Ranking the World Cup 2022 bid competition
[ANALYSIS] Recent comments by some of its Asian rivals suggest they view the United States as the favorite to earn the FIFA executive committee’s backing tohost the 2022 World Cup when it meets on Dec. 2 in Zurich. But the U.S. bid is by no means considered a lock. Here’s a look at its four […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA drops out of '18 race
[WORLD CUP 2018/22 BIDS] As expected, the USA has withdrawn its bid to host the 2018 World Cup — which will go to one of the four European bidders — and focuson its 2022 bid. The USA is given a good chance of winning the 2022 bid in which it is competing against Australia, Japan, […]