When corruption taints happy dreams.
As soccer’s governing body, FIFA, crumbles and fans rejoice, I figured I might as well join the circus.
There’s no point bashing old news, so I’ve decided to add a personal perspective on the recent events.
President, or soon-to-be former, Sepp Blatter has stepped down (Hallelujah!) and optimism has returned to soccer. But then I heard about South Africa’s bribery charges…
While I’d never consider myself to be a “Sepp sympathicizer,” I always felt his 17-year reign of terror had a few hiccups of happiness. After all, he brought the world’s sport to the world’s people.
The 2002 FIFA World Cup in Japan/South Korea was the first time the global tournament took place on Asian soil.
Germany held the tournament in 2006.
In 2010, the so-called “Third World” had its first act on the global stage, when South Africa hosted a magnificent World Cup—the first in Africa.
And then 2014 was South America’s turn, with Brazil hosting the world’s most-watched sporting event for the first time since 1950.
On the surface these were good things.
Criticism was fair regarding the 2018 and 2022 appointments with Russia and Qatar, respectively, but again, Blatter was bringing soccer where it had never been before.
These were supposed to be happy tales. Maybe Blatter wasn’t so bad after.
But then this past week happened—a week filled with justice cracking down on kickbacks and corruption. World sport’s most powerful leaders were toppled, if not by jurisdiction, then by guilt.
More corruption reports were published. More accusations of bribery, more cash exchanging hands under phony smiles and million-dollar handshakes.
On Thursday more information was released, stating the South African Football Association paid off Jack Warner, FIFA’s former vice president, a handsome $10 million to bring the World Cup to South Africa.
But the past cannot be changed.
From a personal perspective, I was fortunate enough to go to South Africa and experience a wonderful month, when the world’s best soccer meshed with Africa’s premier culture.
A nation still icing its bruises from an oppressive Apartheid regime had the international spotlight. And it did everything right—except for having the tournament in the first place.
That’s the hard part to fathom. For once, FIFA had done something right. There were reasons to believe Blatter’s speech at the opening of the games in Johannesburg’s 90,000-seat Soccer City. Ayoba! Rejoice!
At the back of the 2010 World Cup’s “official programme,” there was a picture of the late Nelson Mandela, holding the tournament’s trophy, smiling with delight.
I wonder what Mr. Mandela would say if he was alive Thursday…
@charliehatch_
gh181212@ohio.edu
