Mihir Bose's Blog, page 40

Why democracy may be a problem for FIFA reform

Now you may not readily think that democracy can be a hindrance to reform. To suggest that seems absurd. Yet in the case of FIFA that is indeed the stumbling block. Democracy is undoubtedly the best way to run things but the one person, one vote idea can have pitfalls as the working of FIFA demonstrates so vividly.

I say this because hard as it is to believe FIFA, in comparison with many other organisations including the United Nations, to which it is often compared by Sepp Blatter, is much more democratic. So while the main UN body, the general assembly, works on the principle of one nation, one vote it is essentially a debating chamber, whose decisions have no international sanction and are often ignored by nations. The body with real power is the Security Council and this could not be less reflective of the modern world. For who are its five permanent members with veto powers? They are the US, Russia, China, Britain and France.

FIFA invasion has left locals with a cold feeling

Brazil’s special claim on the game has always been that it speaks the language of football so eloquently that it can bridge cultures and create bonds between people who have nothing in common.

You may not speak a word of Portuguese but when Brazil play you suddenly become part of the country’s extended football family. This explains why it has long been the world’s second favourite national team.

World Cup 2022 special report: No legal action for Qatar if Fifa strips country of tournament

Qatar will not be able to mount a legal challenge to Fifa if football's governing body strips it of the right to stage the 2022 World Cup. As controversy continues to rage over allegations of corruption surrounding the bid process, it has emerged that Qatar agreed to sign away its right to take any form of legal action against Fifa when it made its original tender for the tournament in 2010.

The Independent on Sunday can also reveal that a mechanism is available to football's governing body to order a new vote whereby infringements of its code of ethics are cited.

If Sepp Blatter wants to stop World Cup corruption he must learn from Olympic Games

The truly depressing thing about the latest FIFA corruption scandals is that it is almost impossible to see FIFA change.

Football Association chairman Greg Dyke believes in the corporate world the questions raised about the governance of the world body would by now have forced Sepp Blatter to step down as FIFA president. But the sobering truth is the vast majority of FIFA officials live outside Europe and do not share his view.

No legal action for Qatar if Fifa strips country of tournament

Qatar will not be able to mount a legal challenge to Fifa if football's governing body strips it of the right to stage the 2022 World Cup. As controversy continues to rage over allegations of corruption surrounding the bid process, it has emerged that Qatar agreed to sign away its right to take any form of legal action against Fifa when it made its original tender for the tournament in 2010.

The Independent on Sunday can also reveal that a mechanism is available to football's governing body to order a new vote whereby infringements of its code of ethics are cited.

The farce of trying to change FIFA by sitting down

So UEFA will register its protest about events in FIFA by sitting down in Sao Paulo at next week's Congress just as Sepp Blatter, as is widely expected, announces that he will stand for another term as President? My goodness what a protest. This I am sure Nyon thinks is the Lionel Messi moment for the men in suits when a wonderful shimmy delivers a beautiful, game changing goal. Don't you believe it.

In fact when I heard about this UEFA protest against Blatter I merely flicked open my cuttings book and went back to another FIFA Congress, also in South America, Buenos Aires, when UEFA planned to show its disapproval of Blatter. The result was a humiliating defeat for UEFA as the wily old Swiss, who is a master of populist sports politics, proved just too clever for the men who run European football.

Kevin Pietersen should be less contrived like Shane Warne

David Gower knows all about the perils of falling out with your captain during an Ashes tour.

After getting out in a warm-up match in Queensland in 1991, and with play still going on, Gower went for a joy ride in a Tiger Moth biplane. The tour management of Peter Lush, Micky Stewart and captain Graham Gooch were so incensed Gower was nearly sent home.

Match fixing stories continue to get prominence

Match fixing stories continue to get prominence

Politicians shun Europe but Levy loves the continental ways

Much has been made about how Mauricio Pochettino is the ninth permanent manager Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has appointed since he took charge of the club back in 2001. And the scribes have not failed to rub in the fact that, despite all these comings and goings, Spurs have singularly failed to achieve the status that they feel is their due, at least a top four finish in the Premier League every season, garnered with the odd trophy as well.

Some critics have pointed out that other clubs also change managers. During this time Real Madrid have had twelve managers and Bayern Munich are on their ninth, the only difference is that while Real and Bayern's success in that period cannot be doubted, and include winning the Champions League, all Spurs have done is get into the Champions League once and win one League Cup.

‘We are family’ – Marion Bartoli says she is over John Inverdale comments that sparked BBC complaints storm

Forgiveness has been in short supply for Richard Scudamore since his sexist emails came to light but Marion Bartoli is determined to give radio presenter John Inverdale another chance despite his infamous attack on her after she won Wimbledon.

No sooner had she she lifted the Venus Rosewater dish at SW19 last year than Inverdale told BBC Radio 5 Live listeners: “I just wonder if her dad did say to her when she was 12, 13, 14, ‘Listen, you’re never going to be a looker, you’re never going to be a Sharapova, you are never going to be 5ft 11, you’re never going to be somebody with long legs, so you have to compensate for that’.”