FIFA Refereeing core loses one of its own

As many no doubt have heard, a RusAir Tupolev 134 was trying to land at its destination of Petrozavodsk in heavy fog, and crashed short of the runway causing the death of (44) people, leaving only 8 survivors (source).

Among these 44 was a man named Vladimir Pettay (Владимир Леонидович Петтай) a FIFA referee who hailed from Pudozh, Russia. A former professional player, referee since 1996, and FIFA since 2010, he leaves a wife, son, and daughter.

Sepp Blatter sent his condolences to Pettay's family and federation stating:

“On behalf of FIFA and the worldwide family of football, I wish to extend our condolences to you, the Russian football community and, most importantly, to Vladimir Pettay’s family, friends and loved ones. Please let them know today the football community stands by their side.”

A sad day indeed, as by all accounts a good man was lost to a tragic event.

Bye Jack ...

Fifa's Jack Warner resigns and claims Chuck Blazer 'undermined' him

• Suspended Fifa vice-president quits all international positions
• Warner accuses Chuck Blazer of 'unimaginable' undermining

See the whole story here, courtesy of Guardian.

Kicking Back Comments:  Translation ==> I am about to get caught with my hand in the cookie jar, so instead of doing the right thing and apologizing for my appalling behavior, I am going to quit and not say anything, but blame it on the guy who had the evidence.

I can only hope that FIFA never allows him back within its ranks again. THAT is a good first step toward cleaning up its act.

What FIFA won't do, Korea will.

Lifetime Bans for Korean Players

(WFI) South Korea’s top football league is slapping 10 players with lifetime bans for their roles in match-fixing schemes.

“We made the decision, determined that this would be the first and the last match-fixing scandal in the league," K-League disciplinary head Kwak Young-Cheol was quoted Friday by AFP. ...

See the whole article here, courtesy of World Football Insider.

Kicking Back Comments: Kudos to Korea, and shame on FIFA. While certainly not easy to ban players for life for such behavior, Korea did as FIFA stood by. If I am the FIFA representative running the investigation on the three Gold Cup matches that are now under investigation for match fixing, you would bet, even if there is no fixing there, I would have an incredibly comprehensive report as to why and what happened.

Lots of people are asking "why?" during these "investigations", yet there seems to be very little coming back. Go figure.

FIFA gets it right this time

FIFA to donate $6 mil. in quake aid to Japanese soccer

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Soccer's world governing body FIFA has decided to donate about $6 million in aid to clubs and areas affected by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, Japan Football Association President Junji Ogura said Thursday.

Clubs including the three worst-hit teams -- Vegalta Sendai, seven-time J-League champions Kashima Antlers and second-division Mito Hollyhock -- will receive $4.5 million for repairs to their stadiums and training facilities damaged by the deadly quake and tsunami that also triggered a nuclear crisis in Fukushima Prefecture. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of the Mainichi Daily News.

Kicking Back Comments: As I have stated before here, FIFA has a tremendous capacity to do some real good in the world. This is an excellent example. They need to just get out of the shadow of speculation by placing a leader at the helm that stands beyond reproach and turn the body back into a true model for international football governance. Until then, FIFA as a whole is marred, and no amount of good in my opinion will make a difference.

South Africa ... a Year Later

Is the 2010 FIFA World Cup legacy all smoke and mirrors?

One year on - and not a single South African newspaper considered the 2010 FIFA World Cup Anniversary worth mentioning on the front cover (apart from a tiny Zakumi gracing theCity Press banner). Equally disinterested was the national broadcaster, which did not even devote a single show to remembering what once had been billed "South Africa's greatest moment in history" - and even 702 pulled its World Cup Special in favour of a discussion on how holiday homes can be rented at a discount in low season. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of Bizcommunity.

Kicking Back Comments: Interesting quazi-financial analysis that continues to ask the question, a year later, did South Africa really get something for the World Cup? Granted in the afterglow it is largely on the host country to make something of it with the recognition and monies that are residual, but were all those promises by FIFA fulfilled? Why does it appear that other host countries have done much better at capitalizing on the "afterglow" than South Africa?

The business of sport ... truly fascinating. 

Opera singer Placido Domingo to save FIFA

FIFA turning to 'sages' for advice

FIFA is setting up the Council of Sages in an effort to repair its image after a series of scandals. The Council will consist of celebrities, including former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, opera singer Placido Domingo and football legend Johan Cruijff.

Football experts quickly accused FIFA’s President Sepp Blatter of trying to turn the International Football Federation into a circus. Mr.Blatter explained that the ‘sages’ would provide only counseling and exercise no powers. The chief of the International Football Federation couldn’t recall the name of the Spanish tenor as he talked to CNN reporters about the Council. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of The Voice of Russia.

Kicking Back Comments: For any who were on the fence regarding just how deep in turmoil FIFA is ... Sepp's creation of a "council of elders" should seal it for you as this is just silly ... and Sepp is being mocked for it.

In isolation Kissenger is a great choice to provide guidance to FIFA as his love and involvement in THE game is well known. Cruijff as well has clearly strong credentials. Domingo ... well ... other than a face to do PR spots, I'm not sure. In any event, the institution of "elders" is absurd on its face. Neither I, nor anyone else, based on the feedback, thinks this "council" will be able to accomplish anything, or will help in any way.

Well see what comes of it.

Well ... at least they are not hiding the corruption findings

SEPP BLATTER LAUGHS OFF LAWYER’S DAMNING BRIBERY CLAIMS

SEPP Blatter’s attempts to brush Fifa corruption allegations under the carpet were slammed last night.

Shameless Sepp told the world he was “happy” a report into dodgy dealings at Fifa had found they were corruption free.

However, we can reveal that the actual report, published on Fifa’s own website, blasts the organisation for giving the green light to bungs and bribes.

The report was compiled by British lawyer James Dingemans QC in the wake of allegations made by ex-FA chief Lord Triesman. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of the Daily Star and the full report here (pdf), from FIFA.

Kicking Back Comments: So brazen that FIFA posts the report in full and does not seem the least bit concerned. Some great stuff in here about Jack Warner. Start at paragraph 10 on page 4.

No Comment

Exit may be on the horizon as Warner aims to give FIFA inquiry a miss

LA PAZ, Jun 09: Football and FIFA will have seen the last of controversial Jack Warner if the suspended head of CONCACAF goes ahead with his refusal to meet bribery allegations investigators.

Trinidadian Warner and Qatar’s Asian confederation president Mohamed Bin Hammam was banned pending a full ethics committee hearing into whether they colluded to hand out $1m ‘buying’ 25 Caribbean votes in the recent FIFA presidential election.

The storm has overshadowed the early stages of the Central and North American Confederation’s showpiece Gold Cup which is under way in the United States. ...

See the full story here, courtesy of sportsfeatures.com.

Kicking Back Comments: Today would not be soon enough to expel Warner from FIFA. Give him the Process that is due, then thank him for his service, and show him the door.  

When the winner is a loser ...

Sepp Blatter may think he's won – but he's lost

What I know about the finer points of football could be summed up on the back of the proverbial postage stamp. But I do know a bit about politics, and football politics aren't so different.

Sepp Blatter thought he won at Fifa's jamboree in Zurich on Wednesday. But he didn't. He lost. Money made this scandal, and money will unpick it. ...

See the whole insightful post here, courtesy of Guardian.

Great Insight

Check out this quick and fantastic post by George Cumming, The FIFA Presidential Election – football politics in the raw.

While I muse about these topics from an armchair, and have not danced in these circles ... Mr. Cumming has.

From this post it is clear that not only FIFA, but CONCACAF too is a mess, and will be for some time.

Blatter Re-Elected as FIFA President

A sad day for honest football indeed.

Joseph "Sepp" Blatter reelected as FIFA president despite scandals in soccer organization

See the full article here, courtesy of the LA Times.

Killing the victim

Fifa delegates attack England as attempt to postpone election fails

The Football Association's attempt to delay the uncontested election of the Fifa president failed at the organisation's congress on Wednesday amid an outpouring of anti-English sentiment from some quarters.

David Bernstein, the FA chairman, made a late attempt to alter the agenda less than 24 hours before the assembly. He was afforded the opportunity to introduce his initiative with a speech to the full congress in which he stated that there would be no "proper, credible mandate" ifSepp Blatter's coronation proceeds amid widespread corruption allegations. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of Guardian.

Kicking Back Comments: Pathetic. Here was a chance to do some real good and wait until things got sorted before Sepp's coronation. The result, a resounding "no" from FIFA to actually try to start to fix what is going on.

Even one who is starting to try and do some good, Chuck Blazer said the FA's move to launch a full independent investigation was "... to little, too late." When the devil is it too late to try to right a wrong, or a series of wrongs?

With an attitude like that, nothing will ever get done. Oh wait ... that is what is happening here ... never mind ... FIFA is right on cue then.

While these comments about Blazer seem critical, they are not meant to be, as it is clear that he is one of the very few "playing the game" in an effort to pierce the bureaucratic nonsense that is FIFA, to come out with a just result.

Someone who can put immediate pressure on the Seppster to step down are the sponsors. It would appear they are none too thrilled about what is going on and are starting to voice it in various volumes.

If you really want to get his attention, have Coca-Cola drop its FIFA sponsorship ... then, and only then, would we see some immediate change.

Wheels are coming off the FIFA cart

Acting CONCACAF chief trying to fire Blazer, accuses whistleblower of ‘gross misconduct’

ZURICH — The acting president of CONCACAF says he has fired Chuck Blazer, whose bribery allegations touched off a corruption scandal that has shaken FIFA.

Lisle Austin says Blazer’s conduct was “inexcusable and a gross misconduct of duty and judgment,” and the American is no longer fit to be CONCACAF’s secretary general. But it wasn’t immediately clear whether Austin has the authority to remove Blazer, also a member of FIFA’s executive committee. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of the Washington Post.

Kicking Back Comments: WOW. It has been an exciting 24h in FIFA-land. Sponsors are pissed, National Associations are pissed, people are being fired ...

My $10,000 question is ... does Sepp postpone the election? Better yet, does someone do it for him?

FIFA Imploding, Bin Hammam Out, and Blazer is on Fire!

See it all here, courtesy of the NYT.

Kicking Back Comments: I am waiting for the "mushroom cloud" over Zurich ... and will be happy to see it come with the hope of ushering in some sanity. Not what we get from Sepp.

From the article ... and this one says it all folks:

“I am the president of FIFA; you cannot question me,” Blatter said Monday.

There it is folks, right there for all to see. 

Timing is everything

A FIFA Fiasco: Accusations Lead To Investigations, An Election On The Brink

Soccer’s global governing body, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association, said it is opening an investigation into claims that its president, Joseph “Sepp” Blatter, knew of alleged payments made to influence a coming election to lead the organization, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The probe into Blatter stems from allegations made by Qatar’s Mohamed bin Hammam, who is Blatter’s main rival for the FIFA presidency. ...

See the whole article here, courtesy of the WSJ.

Kicking Back Comments: Well. Let's just see how many friends Sepp has in other National Associations. Is this the final straw? If not, they might as well plan to bury him under the headquarters in Zurich as it would see that will be the only way he will be forced leave.

3 US Referees Selected for 2011 Gold Cup

Special thanks to Jeff for bringing this one forward.

Well folks the Gold Cup will soon be here. The tournament opens June 5th in Dallas. A schedule and tickets are available here.

In total, 15 referees and 15 assistant referees have been selected to referee in the tournament, pending successfully completing a fitness test the week prior in Dallas.

Further, our own Brian Hall in his capacity with CONCACAF is holding an Elite course in preparation for upcoming Champions League and World Cup qualification matches.

Among the list, found here, are US referees, Jair Marrufo and Baldomero Toledo, and US assistant referee Charles Morgante.

Best of luck to them all.

Open for debate

Fifa TV Debate: Add Your Support To Campaign

Sky News viewers are being urged to back a campaign for a televised debate between the two candidates for Fifa president.

The current chief of football's world governing body, Sepp Blatter, is still to respond to an invitation to take part in the head-to-head.

He received our invitation 46 days ago, but has yet to give a 'yes' or 'no' - despite growing support for the televised discussion.

When pressed for his answer last Wednesday, a spokesman for the 75-year-old responded by email to say: "We are still in (the) planning process and I will assure you to come back to you shortly." ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of Sky News.

Kicking Backs Comments: Well it's not a national football federation that is bringing some pressure, but having Sky News pushing on you is no small thing. I'll bet FIFA is not happy about this one. I'm waiting to hear from @FakeSepp on the matter. I doubt we will here from the real McCoy, unless it's "Bones" McCoy of Star Trek fame.

Deny and make counter allegations

FIFA executive committee member Worawi plans legal action over bribery accusations

BANGKOK, Thailand — FIFA executive committee member Worawi Makudi says he will file charges against former English Football Association chief David Triesman for making bribery accusations.

Worawi, also head of the Football Association of Thailand, has denied Triesman’s accusations that he demanded the television rights to a proposed Thailand-England friendly in exchange for supporting England’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of the Washington Post.

Kicking Back Comments: You had to see this one coming. In my opinion, the one thing some of these FIFA execs like more than money and power, is their pride. I am predicting that this suit will go nowhere. It is just a way to create more confusion to distract us from watching an organization circling the drain.

There way be a couple of problems with the FA's stand against FIFA however. First, the FA itself is bogged down in corruption charges. Second, the FA alone can not change FIFA, it needs help. An interesting article is here that discusses these points.

Is there another brave national organization in the world willing to do the right thing? The time is now, as the FIFA presidential elections approaches. 

You know it's bad when ...

... The Economist is picking up on how corrupt FIFA is. Check out this article, it is certainly worth the read! Personally, I think they are onto something as it would certainly make the process more transparent.

Time to blow the whistle and put the right to host the World Cup on eBay

May 12th 2011 | from the print edition

WHEN it comes to long, rancorous and pointless rows, few things are in the same league as the world’s favourite sport. (Note to American readers: we speak of the game you call soccer.) Arguments rage for days—decades—after the final whistle. Was the ball over the goal-line? (Note to German readers: maybe not at Wembley in 1966, yes in Bloemfontein in 2010.) Was that sending-off deserved, or a gross miscarriage of justice? Was the referee brilliant, blind or bribed? ...

See the full article here, courtesy of The Economist.

FIFA ... Corruption ... Again ... I'm Shocked ... LOL

Special thanks to Dr. Rice for bringing this one forward.

Six From FIFA Are Accused in Bribery Case

Soccer’s world governing body, which has little international oversight and has long faced charges of corruption, found itself embattled again Tuesday when six of its top officials were accused of participating in a bribery scandal related to bids for the 2018 and the 2022 World Cups.

The news was particularly embarrassing and perhaps threatening for FIFA’s president, Sepp Blatter. Though not accused of corruption himself, Blatter faces re-election next month as his reputation continues to suffer and the organization he runs continues to be plagued with accusations of illicit behavior. ...

See the rest of the story here, courtesy of the NYT.

Kicking Back Comments: I sure hope someone wakes up and takes some action in June for the FIFA presidential elections. We have gone past silly, into ludicrous. Reminds me of that bit from SpaceBalls. A clip showing how silly ludicrous speed is, can be found below and here. Please draw your own conclusions about art imitating FIFA life.