Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Vote Buying in FIFA? Really?

On Dec 2, officers from FIFA will choose the host for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. That was the plan before undercover reporters from London’s Sunday Times newspaper put together a sting operation that exposed corruption in FIFA.

Posing as lobbyists for the American bid, reporters arranged meetings with Nigerian delegate Amos Adamu and Oceania Football Confederation president Reynald Temarii and filmed them asking for funds in exchange for their votes. FIFA president Seep Blatter has already promised to probe into World Cup bribery claims.

What’s the big deal?

Seriously, I don’t see what’s so special about this. There had long been suspicions of vote buying in FIFA. Hell, there had long been suspicions of vote buying in FIFA, IOC and almost every other international sports governing body you can think of. Now we have evidence of wrong-doing but anyone who says they are surprised by this don’t read the sports news very often.

So what’s the big deal? This seems par for course to me.

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