- Nov 12, 2007
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I honestly don't understand the outrage at anything that Qatar did to obtain their WC. It was no different to any other WC bid for the last few decades. In fact every WC bidding process since Italy in 1990 has been investigated or implicated in some kind of financial irregularity. And I would guess corruption was rife before that, but was much easier to hide. Germany's successful 2006 bid was allegedly bollocks deep in corruption.
And we can't blame FIFA/Blatter for all of it. FIFA didn't force anyone to bid or act corruptly. Sure, they created an environment in which it could flourish, encouraged and facilitated it's members taking part in it, but the countries themselves were happy to play the game if they got what they wanted.
To be fair to FIFA and Blatter, the one thing he did do was introduce a one nation, one vote system, which at least gave everyone a fair crack at the corruption gravy train, which is far more egalitarian than real politics. Why shouldn't the South Africa's and Qatar's get a fair crack at the corruption lolly?
I sincerely hope the Qatari WC goes ahead and is a complete farce, which serves as some kind seminal event that makes everyone take a long hard look at the system, but I won't hold my breath.
the outrage isnt that they bribed people, its because they were awarded the cup. its a completely inappropriate venue as we are finding out. FIFA should have accepted smaller bribes from the other applicants.