Sport: Football
Who is FIFA The President's Shame
by Alastair R Agutter (Publishing Editor) 22nd November 2022
FIFA boss Giovanni Vincenzo Infantino has been described as many things after this weekends press conference, and one of great embarrassment and hypocrisy. He is not gay, or is he a migrant worker. But what he is meant to be is the President of FIFA, and he should be getting his priorities right by addressing sponsorship issues like Budweiser Beer and Corruption in the game that has existed for years. And as for Qatar 2022 as World Cup hosts, serious financial investigation needs to take place.
When I have been witness and seen personally these past many decades the shame and corruption at FIFA, surrounding the beautiful game. And the leadership of FIFA running the operation with successive traits and characteristics of corruption in the leadership, perhaps it is a cultural thing I ask myself that is found in the hills and valleys of Italy. For it seems too coincidental be it the President of FIFA, or a President or Prime Minister of Italy in the past, money and corruption has continued to be repeated, and bringing with it many setbacks and failures to the game, the world of politics and society at large. And always regrettably, leading to questioning behaviour and decisions being made, and always related to money and financial transactions and arrangements.And so who is FIFA?
When it comes to a World Cup there are many forms of Licensing and sponsorship, and so it is not just the television rights or the advertising you see around the stadiums. You maybe surprised to know that every conceivable product and service comes with a License or sponsorship deal and with a very large price tag.
When Qatar was awarded the 2022 World Cup, many an eyebrow was raised, for it just did not seem practicable or plausible a Country so small and one without a long history of Football could put on such an event. Let alone the politics and way of life traditions that basically held a Nation to the floor by Authoritarian rule. For these were not the values many of us were led to believe FIFA and the West stood for, and so we found such a decision to give the World Cup to Qatar to host in 2022 to be offensive and abhorrent.
The idealogy behind including these States in events is to help these regimes to change and integrate into a modern and more compassionate society. It is for these states like Qatar to change and move away from dark and primitive practices. It is certainly NOT the case for all of us, the rest of the world to succumb to their primitive doctrines and ideology. But sadly in recent days, the Qatar regime has started to impose its will and doctrines on the visiting societies to the World Cup being held in Qatar. The questioning of Welsh Supporters bucket hats, claiming by security personnel that they are banned is an outrage, and by the regime itself that alcohol is now banned in stadiums, when some of the main sponsors like Budweiser sell beers is an absolute disgrace and if I were the boss of Budweiser, I would want my sponsorship money refunded, and with the threat of never advertising again until FIFA get their own house in order, by removing the corrupt crooks clearly still running the Organization.
For the FIFA President Giovanni Vincenzo Infantino to hold a press conference and to try and justify these last minute changes and demands by the Qatar Regime is wholly unacceptable and offensive to all decent free and fair minded folk around the world.
So I ask, what the hell is wrong with these leaders of the beautiful game, are they getting such huge amounts in the form of backhanders they are prepared to even sell their souls. Isn't the millions of pounds per year they are paid not enough, clearly not I question?
After this recent debacle, there should be a public hearing, so once and for all we can put an end to this perpetual corruption in the FIFA Organization. Its time people started going to prison, and so Interpol and Police Authorities should also get involved. Fifa.com