Advertisement

Time is now for someone to stand up to FIFA over 2022 World Cup scheduling farce

It wasn't that long ago when a skittish FIFA was caught in the headlights. In the wake of a litany of corruption scandals, their hand was forced and they professed major reforms. They set up an Independent Governance Committee (IGC), appointing a number of well-qualified outsiders to assist them in becoming better. Inevitably, it was merely posturing. FIFA had little interest in changing. They refused to implement even the most simple of policies such as age and term limits for the president and executive members. One representative of the IGC, Alexandra Wrage, resigned her position in frustration and said FIFA were determined to ignore any recommendations.

Ironically, the biggest buzzword at the time was transparency. FIFA didn't want to be a closed shop anymore. They wanted to usher in a new era of openness and understanding. Yet, everything was on their terms. Like petulant schoolboys, they stuck their fingers in their ears and refused to listen when challenged. And why should they? FIFA, of course, is answerable to no one. It's impenetrable. But, the current debacle over the 2022 World Cup may just create one headache too many.

It's a complex story and the world has seven years to watch all the gory details unfold. But ever since Qatar won the rights in 2010 to host the tournament, the bid process has been shrouded in controversy. Over time, there have been numerous, steady allegations of wrongdoing. Last summer, there was the The Sunday Times' intricate reporting which alleged numerous pay-offs to key FIFA personnel in exchange for votes. And, there were a series of relatively minor, laughable moments that showcased the level of ignorance and arrogance that continues to permeate soccer's top table.

[Related: Blatter wants World Cup final no later than December 18]

Michel Platini, the president of UEFA, conveniently bumped into high-profile Qatari political figures on the eve of the World Cup vote. Later, his son was hired by a Qatar-based sports company as its chief executive. The son of Michel D'Hooghe, a member of FIFA's executive committee since the late 1980s, landed a job at a private Qatari hospital in 2012. D'Hooghe's name cropped up recently when he was cleared of four counts of corruption by FIFA's ethical committee. D'Hooghe had received a painting from the Russia World Cup 2018 bid team – something the ethical committee found to have been “a friendly gesture”.

There are copious amounts of material. Look hard enough and you'll find it. And what's been so suspicious in recent days has been the relatively tame reaction to FIFA forcing this unwanted tournament down everyone's throat. The most vociferous critic has been the Premier League's chief Richard Scudamore, who admitted to being “extremely disappointed” by the FIFA task-force's recommendation that the 2022 competition should take place in November and December.

FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke addresses a news conference regarding the legacy of the 2014 Brazil World Cup in Sao Paulo January 20, 2015. REUTERS/Paulo Whitaker
FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke addresses a news conference regarding the legacy of the 2014 Brazil World Cup in Sao Paulo January 20, 2015. REUTERS/Paulo Whitaker

But, here's the rub. Despite the outcry, despite the public declarations of anger and frustration, there will be compromise. Despite FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke declaring this week that soccer clubs and leagues will receive no compensation for the upheaval that a winter World Cup will create, the same clubs and leagues will eventually sit down with FIFA and thrash out an agreement. Despite this change of date being the result of a monumental error of judgment from soccer's governing body, everyone will simply get in line and follow their direction.

So, who is complicit? The easy target is FIFA, always. But when entire domestic seasons are ripped up around the world – all for the sake of a tainted tournament - why go along with the plan? Why is the burden of responsibility on the shoulders of domestic associations when FIFA's mistakes have led to all of this? Valcke pointed out how the stakeholders have seven years to figure out how to get their plans together. FIFA have had close to four and a half years to rectify their original error. Yet, they were never going to do that.

Why should the various domestic associations bow down and be trampled? This is FIFA's mess and that should be communicated strongly. The organization refuses to answer to anyone and ignores responsibility. It's about time the behemoths like the Premier League and its counterparts throughout Europe realize their self-worth and do likewise.

The conclusion being put forward is that a winter tournament is the best solution. No, it's not. The best solution is to not have the World Cup in Qatar because the bid was a fantasy. One of the key elements of the proposal was how cutting-edge, state-of-the-art technology would be used to cool temperatures from as high as 50 degrees Celsius to a more acceptable 23 degrees. Faking the weather. FIFA reveled in it. Until they realized what a logistical and financial nightmare it would be. Then they changed their mind. And by then, it was too late. They were peddled fiction and lapped it up. Now, they need to suffer the consequences.

There are other deeper, darker intangibles. FIFPro, the world players union, has outlined how switching the tournament to winter time does protect the health and safety of teams but has warned that other topics surrounding the tournament need to be addressed. It's inevitable that Qatar's well-documented human rights issues will be a subject of huge debate as the 2022 competition gets closer. The infamous kafala system, centred on migrant workers being sponsored by local citizens or companies, has already suffered widespread condemnation. Reports last year revealed that one Nepalese worker died every two days in 2014 while assisting with the building of World Cup infrastructure.

It's a myriad of problems and potential problems for FIFA. And in a ruthless and unforgiving soccer landscape, that means opportunities for others - should they be brave and bold enough to seek them out.