Comments on: Blatter, Platini, Champagne and the FIFA Presidency

By: Soccer Saves? Sports and Development in Concept and in Africa | Pitch Invasion

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 17:06:55 +0000

[...] Let’s make sure mega-event monies trickle down to development projects: Most major FIFA competitions now include gestures towards the grass-roots game as part of international development, and that imperative is overall a good thing. FIFA actually has an entire slate of initiatives in considers part of “social responsibility” including the somewhat vague “Win in Africa with Africa” (one of the three major undertakings they list is simply “Touch the world”) and the effort to build “20 Football for Hope Centres for public health, education and football across Africa.” In concept these endeavors have much potential—I actually prefer when big development through sports programs focus on infrastructure—but in practice the concern is that they become political chits for the rich and powerful. As Andrew Jennings noted last week, one of Sepp Blatter’s levers of power seems to be the way he “‘looks after’ his voters in the national associations so generously with millions of dollars for unaudited ‘development.’” (a point also noted and discussed by Tom here on Pitch Invasion) [...]

By: Sean

Sean — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 01:14:43 +0000

And of course, in our hemisphere, most of the ‘development’ money is used to develop the real assets of Messrs. Warner, Blazer, et al.

How sad is it that their graft is this obvious, and knowledge of it is widespread, and yet there is no mechanism for change. Gives me that lovely “Picture a boot stamping on a human face, forever” feeling.

By: Tom Dunmore

Tom Dunmore — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 16:52:05 +0000

It seems to me all that development money is the hidden secret of FIFA’s power. I’m not saying some of the programmes don’t do some good, but it’s certainly a great way to buy influence in poorer countries in desperate need of investment — even when it is all above board, which is very hard to tell anyway.

By: Jennifer Doyle

Jennifer Doyle — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 08:41:54 +0000

RE: It is virtually impossible to unseat Blatter who ‘looks after’ his voters in the national associations so generously with millions of dollars for unaudited ‘development.’

“Development” – you mean that pot of money, 15% of which in 2010 is supposed to be allocated to women’s programs? I think that women in a vast majority of that countries that accept those funds would be very interested in knowing where – indeed if – such funds are actually spent on them.