The Big Elephant

FIFA fell on its own twisted arrogance. In some ways, this scandal was good not just for football/soccer but brings a framework for scrutiny for all professional and amateur sports. The message it sends is fatigue over the escalating costs of major international and national sports events.


Wrapped in total angst, the observer must ask whether bribery in this case truly effected the outcome of the choice of event venue(s). The Republic of South Africa(RSA) was chosen. When the investigation proved that FIFA officials allegedly received bribes and kickbacks the decision was criticized albeit encased in the convenience of hindsight. Here lies the problem. Before the decision to have RSA hold the World Cup of Football, FIFA was under considerable pressure to have the cup sited on the African Continent. Of all the nations on the African continent, RSA was the most capable from an economic, political and social aspect. Its the number one pick if one wanted to hold any major sports event in Africa.

The same goes for the World Cup choices of Russia and Qatar. Bribery seems totally pointless because both those nations can and will comfortably host successful tournaments. They would have been the best choices on that cycle. This fact which sustains those choices despite the rapacious challenges of the bribery scandal. And that is the problem with bribery in these cases. The payments were quite unnecessary.

One must also question the selectivity of American justice. The massive arm of the United States Justice system goes after FIFA for very two very strange reasons. When the choice process took place the nation in second place was the United States. But it was a second place that wasn't even close in voting. The last round Qatar had 14 votes to the United States 8.

The American prosecution seems a major case of the sour grapes of being the poor loser. Their prosecution seems very legitimate because FIFA officials carelessly used US based banks and financial firms. The allegations include money laundering and this is illegal in the USA. This single fact opened the door for the USA government to undertake legal action against FIFA officials.

Whether these officials will be successfully convicted seems likely since the modern US court system smells a lot like the kangaroo. The United States does seem very selective in its choice. The reason for this assessment emerges as the righteous weight of the US comes down on FIFA, other professional organizations continue on unscathed. The big one, the big international fish is the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Some time ago, some Olympic Committee members were accused of the very same thing. One prominent point of strangeness was when the City of Athens magically lost its bid to the much weaker Atlanta bid. Up to the final vote, the contention by rumor that some votes were enhanced by money offers. Indeed, the wining and dining of Olympic officials seems to point to the use of financial or perk incentives. It comes to the single question, the big elephant. Does the IOC stand up the to the same scrutiny as FIFA experienced?