George Carlin’s classic critique of football and baseball strikes today as slightly yesterday. But his premise easily extrapolates to compare and contrast the good ol’ US of A and all our funny-sounding international neighbors, who seem to adore a kicky-kick sport (what we call “soccer”) managed by the honorable men of FIFA.
The New York Times has published an op-ed by Palestinian soccer player Iyad Abu Gharqoud, demanding that FIFA kick Israel out of international soccer. The Times allows Gharquod to play the role of the aggrieved victim but ignores the fact that his
For decades, our global betters have been urging Americans to take more of an interest in soccer. And we have–though not the interest the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) had in mind. This week, the U.S. Department of Justice revealed that 14 FIFA officials had been indicted for corruption. In somewhat related news, FIFA is to vote this weekend on suspending Israel from international soccer because of security-related travel restrictions on some Palestinian players.
News surfaced this week that U.S. authorities are charging 14 world soccer figures, including officials of world soccer’s governing body known as FIFA, with racketeering, bribery, money laundering and fraud to the tune of $150 million. And this incident is only the latest revelation of alleged criminal behavior.
The United States Soccer Federation vows to cast its ballot against Sepp Blatter as he seeks re-election as FIFA’s president today.
The FBI finally busted FIFA officials on corruption charges related to the World Cups scheduled for Russia and Qatar. Vladimir Putin, naturally, does not like this at all.
The FIFA scandal now enters into the reaction phase as corporate sponsors begin to warn soccer’s governing body that unless the corruption ends their sponsorship will.
During his Thursday show on “The Herd with Colin Cowherd” on ESPNU, host Colin Cowherd spoke out on the death toll in Qatar by workers in preparation of the 2022 World Cup, which Washington Post estimates to currently be around
Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) President Michel Platini has asked Sepp Blatter to withdraw as a candidate for re-election as International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) president.
The world’s most popular sport is in the midst of the biggest crisis in its history. Senior figures past and present stand charged with fraud, major sponsors are threatening to withdraw support and FIFA president Sepp Blatter is under pressure
UEFA, the European governing body of soccer, issued a statement on Wednesday calling for new leadership in FIFA, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association, which runs international soccer and the World Cup.
FIFA characterizes Wednesday morning’s corruption arrests of its officials as “the consequences of what we initiated.” But the international governing body for soccer refuses to initiate consequences or for the FIFA officials arrested thus far.
To say that Walter De Gregorio’s presser exuded a Kevin Bacon, remain-calm-all-is-well vibe would be understating matters.
FIFA insists that despite the corruption arrests of more than a dozen officials and businessmen associated with the group, Russia and Qatar will host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups as planned.
FIFA plans to hold an election this Friday for its highest office despite the arrest of officials of the soccer governing body in a corruption investigation.
Allegations of corruption within the senior ranks of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) have exploded once again following the arrest of several officials, including one Vice President of FIFA, in Switzerland. The suspects, alleged to have accepted bribes and
FIFA President Sepp Blatter visited with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and announced the country’s football association did not discriminate against Palestinians and will not receive a suspension.
FIFA President Sepp Blatter allegedly will not enter the United States due to an FBI investigation over rewarding the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.
FIFA President Sepp Blatter told the world via Twitter that he just met with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He claims the tournament will “build bridges.”
Brazil spent $3.6 million on new stadiums and $3 million on infrastructure for the 2014 World Cup, which made it the most expensive World Cup in history. This is mainly due to Brazil’s choice to host matches in 12 cities instead of the usual 8. But now it appears to be a waste of money as stadiums are left in the dust.
FIFA announced that the 2022 World Cup in Qatar will take place in November and December instead of the summer. The final is scheduled for December 18, only a week before Christmas.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko called for a boycott of the 2018 World Cup in Russia if Moscow does not remove troops from east Ukraine.
FIFA, the organization that governs the World Cup, has decided not to revisit the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup to Russia and Qatar respectively. The group also announced that the extensive report prepared by an investigator into accusations
