When I first heard that FIFA were about to make a monumental move in favour of modern technology, I knew it was too good to be true. Ol' Blatter and Warner would never have back tracked on their stubbornness of goal line technology and the lark, so what was this new 'ground breaking' move? Well, its basically Paypal isn't it.
FIFA, from this coming Friday, will introduce a new 'Transfer Matching System' which they hope will clean up any difficulty within the world of football in terms of the transfer of players. The system will ask for the declaration of ALL PAYMENTS exchanged and involved within the transfer, to try and HALT clubs paying small 'bungs and hidden bribes' within the transfers....
WHAT! Excuse me, but am I hearing this correctly? With all the on-field discussions and pressure from footballing bodies about enhancing and transporting the game to another level, and FIFA are more concerned with hidden fees and the protection of the less wealthy...
This coming from one of the most notorious and 'Bribe-hungry' organisations in the human world...it's a bit rich to say the least. Sepp Blatter has said that “The most important thing is to inrease the TRANSPARENCY of INDIVIDUAL TRANSACTIONS.” Where has this come from, and since when did Blatter care in the slightest about public declaration of funds when himself, along with CONCACAF president Jack Warner, have been scamming the system for years?
Take the ISL scenario. Since Sepp Blatter took charge of FIFA, and before that for that matter, the rights for the selling of the FIFA World Cup have been sold to one company, which is 'International Sports and Leisure', or 'ISL'. This company has no rival because they have been bribing FIFA officials, along with Blatter himself, with millions of pounds on a regular basis. This was proven when an unexpected, and undeclared, 1million Swiss Francs was paid directly into FIFA's bank account rather than the personal account of a high-roller in FIFA, said to be then President Jao Havelange.
When ISL were taken over by a Swiss liquidator after they collapsed, FIFA were contacted by the liquidator in reference to the bribe money that was paid to them. Liquidators discovered that ISL would 'Make-up' contracts to companies that would disguise the fact that the money was going straight into FIFA's own pocket. When liquidators pressured FIFA for an explanation, and repayment, FIFA tried to persuade the banks to conduct the matter in private, which was declined.
Hypocrisy at its finest, I think you will agree, but it doesn't stop there. Ever wondered how Sepp Blatter has been allowed to continue to run FIFA. Well, when he was first appointed to the chair in 1998, it was alleged that envelopes stuffed with huge amounts of cash were slid under the hotel doors of numerous FIFA delegates, in exchange for the vote. A total number of 270 votes are accounted for amongst the world of football, which are split into various regions. Each region is split into two halves, of which accumulate to the election of the President. But Blatter is guaranteed to keep his spot at FIFA just as long as he has the vote of the only un-split region, which is Jack Warner's CONCACAF.
And what of Jack Warner?
If the same transparency was applied to his running of CONCACAF, he would be in very hot water indeed. It seems that Mr Warner, and a number of the delegates at CONCACAF, have been lucratively spending money aimed to help football development in North, South and Central America, on themselves.
Not only that, but it just so happens that FIFA, spend a lot of money maintaining the CONCACAF offices to make sure the region is well looked after. It just so happens, however, that the actual owner and landlord of the office building is Jack Warner himself, meaning that Jack Warner pays Jack Warner a lot of money indeed, almost $400,000 per year to be exact.
When Trinidad and Tobago made the finals of the 2006 World cup, one travel company was allocated every single ticket that became available for the country and its fans. That company was Sinpaul travel, owned by Mr and Mrs Jack Warner.
Clip from the BBC Panorama special 'The Beautiful Bung
When this came to light, foul play was called and Warner said that he had passed on the business to two other women. But, when BBC Journalist Andrew Jennings, who is without doubt the best investigative journalist around today, sport or otherwise, in the world, asked the women, they said that they didn't own it.
How does he get away with this sort of behaviour? Well, Blatter needs the CONCACAAF vote to stay in power, so everyone's a winner. Well, everyone except from the Trinidad and Tobago national team, who are being denied millions of dollars in player bonuses by Jack Warner.
So, yes this is a rant, but a rant well placed. There are so many other areas within football that need resolving, and although I am thoroughly behind anything that will annoy Harry redknapp, as this new transparent system will do, the hypocrisy within the move is almost hilarious.
Click here to watch Andrew Jennings' Panorama special 'The Beautiful Bung' in full
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