Category Australia

The Saudi scandal has nothing to do with Islam or ‘culture’: it’s simply a snub

Let’s separate religion from culture and acknowledge there is nothing in the Qu’ran nor any subsequent hadith that says it is forbidden for professional footballers to stand on a football field

Why Mahfuza Akhter Kiron was elected to the FIFA Council over Moya Dodd explained in 16 Tweets

Some ideas on why an unknown Bangladeshi official who didn’t know which team won the last women’s World Cup was elected to the FIFA Council ahead of “favorite” Moya Dodd.

Sheikh Salman, Silence, Support, & An Old Face Guide the FIFA Election

More than 150 Bahraini athletes, coaches, and referees were jailed after a special committee, chaired by Sheikh Salman who was then head of the Bahrain Football Association, allegedly identified them from photos of protests.

Inside The Bizarre & Delusional Mind of Exiled FIFA Boss Sepp Blatter (& The Secret 2022 World Cup Deal Gone Wrong)

“For the World Cups it was agreed that we go to Russia because it’s never been in Russia, eastern Europe, and for 2022 we go back to America. And so we will have the World Cup in the two biggest political powers.”

As FIFA implodes, more questions for Blatter and Platini. Oh, and some for Peter Hargitay and SBS TV’s Les Murray, too. Thanks.

There are not enough times you can write “criminal proceedings initiated against Sepp Blatter”. Of course there are questions about Blatter’s relationship with Platini and what the payment was actually for. Rule number one: follow the money. Rule number two: cross check the dates. Platini received the payment when he decided not to run against Blatter for FIFA president and instead endorsed Blatter’s reelection.

New FIFA Now Meets In Brussels But Must Move Beyond Its Safe European Home

Yet what was significant was who did not make it to Brussels. David Ginola, attempting to run against Blatter, was not in the house. Neither was Prince Ali Bin Hussein, a FIFA vice-president and an alternative to Blatter with some credibility even if commentators who should know better have dismissed him as “some Jordanian prince.”

The latest revelation about the bids for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups include spies

Spies, Lies, and Double Agents: The World Cup Bids Get Crazier

Their own spying campaign against their rivals was matched by similar tactics by the Russia 2018 bid. The sources said they had received assistance from Britain’s official security services to set up surveillance countermeasures because they feared Russia was spying on them when they met with voters to ask them to back the England 2018 bid.

Warner and Hargiaty.

Where To Start With The FIFA Report? I Know: Blame The Whistleblower. (And That’s Not A Referee).

This judgement on two individuals brave enough to stand up to the power and the pressure of silence comes from an organization where the only thing reliable is a lack of transparency and accuracy is judged on where its executive committee members can funnel questionably-acquired funds.

Bin Hammam and Blatter.

If Qatar 2022 Actually Is A Scandal, It Won’t Be The Only One

So, I confess. I kissed Mohammed Bin Hammam and at the time it was, well, just OK. But who knew what it would lead to?

Abby Wambach

What Will It Take For A Woman to Become FIFA President?

“Anyone who thinks the recent inclusion of three women on the FIFA Executive Committee – one voted, two co-opted for a year – is a sign of gender inclusiveness at the top levels of football, probably also thinks pigs fly,”