FIFA Is A Rotten State That England Was Too Needy To Expose
ANDY Anson led England’s failed bid to host the 2018 World Cup. He blamed the media for contributing to the chance of failure. He said it was unpatriotic to criticise FIFA, that venal organisation that sees football as it chattel:
“I’m incredibly disappointed with the timing of what the BBC is proposing with Panorama… It’s not very patriotic of the BBC. They could have done it any time in the last two years or next two years.”
Had the BBC “done it” in the last two years no-one would have noticed. Timing was everything. The Sunday Times’s investigation into cash-for-votes caused two FIFA ExCo members to be suspended. Anyhow, now the bid is lost, Anson says:
“I would say right now don’t bother (bidding) unless you know the process is going to change. When there are only 22 guys that gives them too much influence.”
England want change after the event they took part in. England engaged in the horse–trading and sucking up to FIFA wonks for years criticised the press. That would be the same press that gets stomped on and murdered in Russia for speaking truth to power.
England should have listened to the hacks and the whispers. They should have demanded transparency, openness and accountability when they were lobbying. Instead, they played the weasel game and lost. Now the grumbling sounds like sour grapes…
Posted: 3rd, December 2010 | In: Sports Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
