FIA feeling disrespected.

[Steve A.]

Or they give it to the people who will then happily sit in their back pockets. In my opinion.

[Scott]

Or they give it to the people who will then happily sit in their back pockets. In my opinion.

I think we're saying the same thing 

[Steve A.]

Yeah,    we were......  Walks away quietly, feeling just a little embarrassed. 

[John S]

Because they turn over $50b a year and spread it out among the poorest countries to preserve their power base.

Well at least they make an effort to distribute it around the world, many other so called world organisations find reasons not to divvy up to most parts.

Even with the alleged skimming by FIFA insiders, or diverted funds in poorer regions, a lot of money still finds it's way to football/soccer communities in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Seems to me the developed world which encourages huge player salaries in football and makes fortunes or reputations for certain owners and media Barons & outlets are rather too keen to call all the shots. Perhaps we should ask some of the big team and media owners to explain just how they got so rich off Football/soccer?  Someone else's graft is always far, far worse than their own - especially if it benefits some of the masses of downtrodden on our planet.   

Rant over - sorry I do feel it's a witch hunt. I'd place a bet that Sepp Blatter has distributed more money to the third world over his years in office than Unicef.
       

[Jericoke]

As a North American sports fan, what's the deal with FIFA?

Why does anyone need them?

The NHL routinely tells the IIHF to stuff itself.  Even the Olympics sides with the NHL ahead of the IIHF.

I don't even know if baseball, football or basketball even have international bodies. 

NASCAR and IndyCar, amongst HUNDREDS of local tracks across Canada and the USA wouldn't recognize an FIA official if he paid for dinner.

If FIFA is corrupt and useless, then forget them.

Because they turn over $50b a year and spread it out among the poorest countries to preserve their power base.

Is that $50b spread wisely?  If so, I don't see a problem.

If not, I say again, why bother with them?  The soccer leagues generating that $50b could form an alternate body (indeed, isn't Soccer itself named for a different governing body?) and spend it however they want, without the stink of FIFA.

[Scott]

I'm not sure...a lot of money goes to developing countries soccer programs, so in that sense it is done wisely, but along the way it buys a lot of votes to keep the less honest people in power (I will exclude Sepp Blatter from this category for now). 

The only problem with forming a new body, is it would most likely be taken over by the soccer powerhouse countries, and very likely they would not redistribute in the same manner.  Everyone calling for Blatter's head needs to consider what they might get instead.

[cosworth151]

Sepp Blatter has resigned.

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/06/02/411485116/amid-bribery-scandal-fifa-president-sepp-blatter-will-resign

[Scott]

Wow...probably on the radio here today, but have been tied up.  I think that's too bad.  I bet that when it all shakes out, he might be guilty of not seeing what was going on beneath him, but not of profiting himself. 

[Jericoke]

Wow...probably on the radio here today, but have been tied up.  I think that's too bad.  I bet that when it all shakes out, he might be guilty of not seeing what was going on beneath him, but not of profiting himself.

Probably why no one wanted to run against him.  It's awful when your job is to be responsible for a bunch of people who can't be trusted.

[Dare]

http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/soccer/sepp-blatter-resigned-from-fifa-why-now-and-whats-next/ar-BBkBh87?ocid=U147CDHP

[Scott]

He has announced his intent to step down, when a new ,president is installed...probably early 2017.

[Steve A.]

Yes he is on his way, he is now under investigation, I suppose that was inevitable.  He says he is going because he is not fully supported,  that much was clear during the election, he really should have gone then, instead FIFA will incur the costs of a new election.
He may well be completely innocent but as he was running it he has to be responsible for those below him. Now questions are being asked about Qatar, should they still get the world cup or not. At present 1000 workers have died during the construction of the new stadiums, do they keep it in honor of those or lose it to save lives.

[cosworth151]

On the way to work this morning, the sports report started with, "The most powerful man in the world's most popular sport resigns."

I immediately thought, "Bernie's gone?!"

[Steve A.]

Gone to run FIFA

[cosworth151]

No, there's more money to steal be made in F1:

http://autoweek.com/article/formula-one/formula-one-more-lucrative-fifa-world-cup