By RYAN TOLMICH
Following all of the outrage, criticism and downright resentment, FIFA is finally set to give the people what they want.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter announced Friday that the organization is set to release the report surrounding the 2018 and 2022 World Cups in an “appropriate form” in the near future. The announcement comes just two days after the resignation of Michael Garcia, the American lawyer who commissioned the report.
“The FIFA Executive Committee unanimously agreed to ask the Adjudicatory Chamber of the independent Ethics Committee to publish the report in an appropriate form once the ongoing procedures against individuals are concluded,” Blatter said. “I am pleased they have agreed.
“It has been a long process to arrive at this point and I understand the views of those who have been critical. We have always been determined that the truth should be known.”
However, Blatter also revealed that, regardless of the report’s findings, the organization will not revisit the bidding process for the pair of controversial World Cups, although FIFA will use the new evidence in an effort for future reform.
“But the report is about history and I am focused on the future,” Blatter said. “We will not revisit the 2018 and 2022 vote and a report by independent, external legal experts commissioned by (Audit and Compliance Committee Chairman Domenico) Scala supports the view that there are no legal grounds to revoke the Executive Committee’s decision on the award of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
“We are already in the process of incorporating recommendations made by independent experts including the Ethics Committee for how the FIFA World Cup selection process can be improved so that everyone can be confident that the 2026 bidding process will be fair, ethical and open.”
In addition, Blatter responded to criticism regarding the report’s original secrecy, as the FIFA president insists that the organization was just following due process.
“It is clear that while a summary of the report was issued, the publication of this report has become a barrier to rebuilding public confidence and trust in FIFA,” Blatter added. “Part of this is due to the fact that we have been deliberate in the way that we have moved through the process.
“We need to ensure that we respect the rules of our organization and that we do not breach confidentiality in a way that will prevent people from speaking out in the future.”
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What do you make of FIFA’s decision? Excited to see the report?
Share your thoughts below.
“appropriate form” = massive redactions
Thank good ness this is finally resolved. Awesome news… seems like it’s a good week for oppressive dictators opening up. First Cuba, now Blatter.
I also hear Kin Jong Un may have reached an amicable agreement with Sony and that “The Interview” will now be released in appropriate form.
I can’t make up my mind which will be more inanely comical, the movie or FIFA’s “report”?
“‘But the report is about history and I am focused on the future,’ Blatter said.”
There it is in a nutshell. FIFA’s own investigator told them, in essence, that crimes had been committed, and Blatter treats the report like some quaint little set of recommendations abuot improving the process. It’s like responding to a bank robbery by focusing on how to improve customer service. Blatter’s “move along, there’s nothing to see here” stance is laughable.
When it gets right down to it, Americans should want not only a World Cup in qatar, but a successful World Cup in qatar.
In case people have not noticed, USA has done better in non euro world cups, than we have in euro based world cups. And this makes sense.
A vote against every other World Cup being held in Europe is a vote in support of the USA success. We are creating a good rotation, Africa in ten, South America in 14, Europe in 18, Asia in 22. North America sounds right in 26, and then back to Africa in 30
Hey North Korea, how about hacking FIFA computers and releasing that info…
Most of us have known for years that the only way FIFA would ever seriously consider a revote is if the sponsors refuse to support the event and the various FAs dig in their heels on a potential winter WC. Those two things could still happen so we will see. I find it hard to believe the FAs are just going to roll over and allow FIFA to mess up a couple domestic seasons by altering their schedule. There has been some pressure by sponsors but nothing big enough yet.
…so basically, we’re getting nowhere. The biggest two problems, (minus Blatter), are Russia and Qatar! I bet Garcia will release something, once this one gets released and is totally bogus.
these guys are so fat and rich and old, they can’t see past their own eyes. Blatter must go. Period. If not that, then boycott the hell outta these. JoeW is right: Russia are screwed right now with the oil prices and those aren’t going away anytime soon. People from the USA will not be looked at kindly over there and it’s not even our fault.
Not sorry but this is a f***ing joke. Is anyone actually serious about replacing FIFA? If so, there’s only a few ways and federations breaking off is one. Another is a worldwide, organized boycott of FIFA tournaments or any match, really. And, finally, maybe a Sony style hack, which I’m surprised has never happened. I don’t condone the last one bc I think it makes the world a more dangerous place however I cannot say I wouldn’t be pleased to read it was done.
Dear FIFA
I am a typical sports fan. I like soccer the most. Oh! You call it Football in Europe.:) I am writing this letter to say Thank You for sending me an appropriate form to let me know the truth about your organization. I would like to say again that I love your sport. Messi is AWESOME!
Your biggest Fan,
Sammy
From the USA! Go Donovan!
This is what I want to know: Does Blatter, in the quiet of his little world, understand how the rest of the world truly sees him and FIFA, or is his mind so detached from reality that he honestly believes people are swallowing his ridiculous statements?
All it would take is for 3-4 national federations (brazil, Germany, argentina etc…) to speak up and threaten to pull out of the next world cup, and this could get fixed. Unfortunately, I have a suspicion that there is some shady deals at the national level as well (hopefully not of the FIFA caliber, but enough sleaze that some of these guys can’t put themselves in the spotlight).
… the organization is set to release the report surrounding the 2018/22 World Cups in an “appropriate form” in the near future.
1. What does “near future” in FIFA terms? 1 Year? 2 Years?!!
2. “Appropriate form”… sigh. Sounds a lot like all the government documents that were released on Roswell and the Kennedy assassination. I would buy stock in the maker of Sharpie pens… they’re gonna use a LOT of black ink producing the report in an “appropriate form”.
I’m with AC on this one… laughing hysterically!!!!
“Appropriate Form” – Eckert and his cronies can write a larger 100-page “summary” and say whatever they want. Of course.
Nothing to see here, boys. The only way change will happen at FIFA is sponsors pulling out. The two recent sponsors are small potatoes…Emirates was already due to come out, replaced by…wait for it…Qatar Airways.
1. Okay, no revotes–that’s official. Unless something happens to remove Blatter, the WC locations have been set.
2. That makes sense. You’ve got too many people like Michel “Picasso” Platini and Franz “Show Me the Money” Beckenbauer who are implicated in various ways. Maybe there would have been a chance if the big countries from places like England, Germany, France, Spain would have drawn a line. But instead they’re in just as deep as the bribers on this one. They have no incentive to revisit the vote.
3. I don think we’ll see Qatar moving to another location, I think we’ll end up with something like Qatar 2022 happening in January. And that will be a disaster for the USA–a prescription for us to go winless. B/c it will happen in our offseason, after most MLS players have just gone 3 months without playing. Even a month long camp won’t be enough to get everyone in good form and match sharp.
4. As bad as Qatar is shaping up, Russia now has the potential to be a train wreck. Leave out the geopolitics…the Russian economy is in free-fall right now. The combination of world sanctions PLUS falling energy prices…the rouble has lost 17% of it’s value so far, inflation is at 9% (higher for food), and the govt. gets about half of it’s revenue from taxes on oil and gas. The stadia are spread all over the country. I think we’re going to see an infrastructure mess. This isn’t Sochi where everything is relatively close together. This is more spread out than the US. And you’ve got a govt. that is selling this collapse as being caused by the West, especially the USA…we’re the satan in this case. I have loved all of my previous visits to Russia. But frankly, I think Qatar is going to be less hostile to Americans than Russia will.
WCup in January doesn’t equal three months without playing. It equals perfect timing for the season to end and the WCup training to begin.
Wow, we’re already breaking out the excuses of why we can’t win in 2022 when we don’t know the first thing about who will be on the team and where they will be playing their club football. Personally, I’m expecting the 2022 team to be significantly better than the current team but maybe I’m just a corny optimist.
I still don’t believe 2022 will take place in Qatar. Plenty of time still between now and then.
Take a look at all that has happened and how far along this thing is…and ask, can they really take it away now ?
I don’t think they can.
If they do look to the future…The idea that Blatter is the one to control the future…that is the problem.
I don’t think this is the end of the matter, plus we still have the issue of when during 2022 it would be held. Of course I could be dead wrong but only time will tell. They took the 1986 world cup away from Colombia so there is precedent.
Colombia conceded the WC, they couldn’t afford it nor the demands of FIFA. This matter is closed, World Cup 2022 is in Qatar, not going to change. $#it sandwich and we all get to take a bite. I’ve been to every WC since USA 94 and hoped to go until I died but I will sit Qatar out. I’ve been there and I would not want to go back again. Hopefully the US sticks to its principles and not bid for 2026 until the process is clearly outlined. Hits FIFA where it hurts.
However, if you read in between the lines and follow all the stories there are a few interesting story lines. I can see UEFA posturing for influence over FIFA, especially if the Nations League is successful. Platini calling for Blatter to resign. Additionally Copa America 2016 which will potentially be a massive success. UEFA with CONCACAF/CONMEBOL influence can definitely force a change in FIFA. Hell imagine a Nations League of all three confederations and see what that will do to the prestige of the WC. Lots of speculation here, but still interesting to follow the stories.
Wait for it, wait for it…..Okay, everyone, you may now laugh hysterically….