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Lord Triesman On FIFA Corruption

  • 11-05-2011 03:54PM
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,710 ✭✭✭✭


    Don't get me wrong The FA aren't totally innocent as they were happy to play the waiting game to see if they won the bid or not, rather than exposing this straight away (although it's understandable that he wanted to say this under Parlimentary Privilege) but anyway, it's about time the English started coming out on this, hopefully the English press blow FIFA wide open:

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/may/10/fifa-bribes-allegations-lord-triesman
    Lord Triesman, the former chairman of the FA, has reignited the row over allegations of corruption at the heart of football's governing body by accusing four leading members of Fifa of seeking bribes to back England's bid for the 2018 World Cup.

    Triesman told a parliamentary committee that the members of Fifa's executive committee were guilty of "improper and unethical behaviour" in the early stages of the bid.

    Triesman, the former chairman of England's 2018 bid, accused Concacaf president Jack Warner of asking for £2.5m to build a school and offices in Trinidad at a meeting in a London hotel in October 2009, intimating that the money should be paid directly through him.

    Warner later requested £500,000 for a scheme to buy up World Cup TV rights and air the tournament on big screens for the islanders of Haiti in the wake of the 2010 earthquake, claimed Triesman. Again, he was told the money should be routed through him.

    "[Warner] believed that if he had the sum of half a million pounds sent to him he could secure those rights. I told him it was out of the question. Some time later it was put to me that he was actually the owner of those rights," said Triesman.

    Warner said the allegations made against him by Triesman were "a piece of nonsense". "I've never asked Triesman nor any other person, Englishman or otherwise, for any money for my vote at any time," he said.

    Triesman, who was forced to stand down last May as the result of a newspaper sting, said that at another meeting, with Paraguayan Fifa executive Nicolas Leoz in Ascunción, it was suggested that he secure him a knighthood in return for his vote. Triesman said he was guided to a display cabinet in which there were copies of honours he had received and photos of streets named after him. Through a translator, Leoz, the head of South American football, is said by Triesman to have told him he did not want for cash, but a knighthood "would be appropriate".

    Later, Triesman said he met the longstanding head of the Brazilian football federation, Ricardo Teixeira, in Qatar. Speaking after Brazil had beaten England in a friendly, when Triesman said he was looking forward to meeting President Lula, he was told: "Lula is nothing. You come and tell me what you have for me."

    Teixeira and Leoz were both accused by a BBC Panorama documentary broadcast on the eve of the World Cup vote of being among those implicated in taking bribes from a sports marketing firm in the 90s.

    Triesman claimed a fourth approach was made during negotiations about England playing a friendly against Thailand with Fifa Exco member Worawi Makudi. Triesman said that he insisted on acquiring the TV rights to the mooted game. "That was what he believed was the critical thing to making the arrangement a success."

    New evidence submitted to the committee by the Sunday Times from a whistleblower within Qatar's successful campaign for the 2022 World Cup alleged two other Fifa executive committee members, Issa Hayatou of Cameroon and Jacques Anouma of the Ivory Coast, had accepted payments of $1.5m in return for their vote. The claims mean a third of Fifa's 24 executive committee members have now been accused of impropriety in the run up to last year's World Cup vote.

    The Qatar Football Association last night said they "categorically deny" the Sunday Times allegations. "As the Sunday Times itself states, these accusations 'were and remain' unproven. They will remain unproven, because they are false."

    Triesman said he had waited until his appearance at the culture, media and sport committee to make the allegations so that he could do so under parliamentary privilege. He admitted he should have complained to Fifa at the time, but did not do so for fear of harming the bid.

    The Fifa president Sepp Blatter claimed he was "shocked" by the claims. "If this is true, I will fight this. I am fighting for Fifa to clean Fifa. I cannot answer for individual members of our committee. I cannot say if they are all angels or if they are all devils," Blatter said.

    England's £18m campaign garnered just two votes at the vote in Zurich last year. Triesman accepted there were failings with the campaign, but said Fifa's rationale to take it to new territories – and the pervading suspicion of corruption surrounding the bidding process – may have meant the prize was unwinnable.

    Two other Fifa executive committee members, Oceania's Reynald Temarii and the Nigerian Amos Adamu, and four other officials, were suspended last year in the wake of corruption allegations.

    FIFA needs to be exposed to all for the corrupt organisation that it is. These men have no interest in the beautiful game, it's all about money to them.

    Men like Grant Wahl have tried to get in there but of course haven't got a hope as they won't toe the line.

    It's all going to be the same when Platini gets in.


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 34,562 ✭✭✭✭The_Kew_Tour


    England deserved to host the WC and it was a disgrace. that they lost out

    I am not the FA biggest fan but they had the best stadiums and so on to host the WC.

    FIFA have always been a joke simply as that.

    EVENFLOW



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,190 ✭✭✭✭IvySlayer


    Qatar got the World Cup cos of bribery, nothing else. It's so painfully obvious.


  • Site Banned Posts: 2,719 ✭✭✭DB10


    IvySlayer wrote: »
    Qatar got the World Cup cos of bribery, nothing else. It's so painfully obvious.
    Agreed.

    And what a huge amount of money they will waste on stadiums and infrastructure that has no purpose barring the tournament. I really feel for the average person in Qatar, some how I doubt they will do well out of this.

    Other countries had the stadiums, history, fans, laws. In another way I'm glad though because the bull**** that comes with the England team and the World Cup would sicken you.

    On another note I read on the arsenal website, meeting with the fans, that the guy said if England had won the WC bid, there would have been moves to bring back safe standing and drinking at matches. Some how I doubt that though.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,092 ✭✭✭Le King


    Was the FA offering FIFA executives tickets and accommodation for the London Olympics not bribery?

    The FA questioning anyones integrity is hilarious.

    Also is this the same David Triesman who accussed Spain and Russia or attempting to bribe referees at the 2010 World Cup. The same David Triesman who questioned the FA's lack of involvement in the financial running of Football Clubs after quitting the FA, due to his lack of integrity, as chairman and doing nothing about the FA's involvement in the financial running of Football Clubs himself. He also accused FIFA executives of wanting bribes for votes after England failed miserably in their World Cup bid.

    Good man "Lord" Triesman.

    Oh and he's a Communist...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,142 ✭✭✭Ebbs


    Anyone else not a little excited about the WC being in Qatar?

    The city is pretty amazing already and with these crazy promises it could be spectacular. Id love if it was in England as Id get to actually attend my first WC (after selling a kidney) but I think if Qatar live up to the promises its going to be simply amazing.

    In saying that, FIFA are on of the most corrupt organisation out there, them and UEFA seriously need to be looked into.


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  • Site Banned Posts: 2,719 ✭✭✭DB10


    Ebbs wrote: »
    Anyone else not a little excited about the WC being in Qatar?

    The city is pretty amazing already and with these crazy promises it could be spectacular. Id love if it was in England as Id get to actually attend my first WC (after selling a kidney) but I think if Qatar live up to the promises its going to be simply amazing.

    In saying that, FIFA are on of the most corrupt organisation out there, them and UEFA seriously need to be looked into.
    Maybes its me but its hard to get excited about something 11 years away


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,971 ✭✭✭Paleface


    Ebbs wrote: »
    Anyone else not a little excited about the WC being in Qatar?

    The city is pretty amazing already and with these crazy promises it could be spectacular. Id love if it was in England as Id get to actually attend my first WC (after selling a kidney) but I think if Qatar live up to the promises its going to be simply amazing.

    In saying that, FIFA are on of the most corrupt organisation out there, them and UEFA seriously need to be looked into.

    Sounding amazing and it actually being amazing as a sporting event is very hard to call though. Its going to be too hot for the players and because Quatar is so small (1/6 the size of Ireland :eek:) all the fans are going to be on top of one another. Although I've never been to a World Cup myself surely following the team from one destination to another enhances the experience.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,482 ✭✭✭Kidchameleon


    Whats the chances of Qatar doing a South Korea 2002 and bribing their way to the semi's or beyond?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,142 ✭✭✭Ebbs


    DB10 wrote: »
    Maybes its me but its hard to get excited about something 11 years away

    buzz_killington_191x300_RE_So_troll-s191x300-152037-580.jpg
    Paleface wrote: »
    Sounding amazing and it actually being amazing as a sporting event is very hard to call though. Its going to be too hot for the players and because Quatar is so small (1/6 the size of Ireland :eek:) all the fans are going to be on top of one another. Although I've never been to a World Cup myself surely following the team from one destination to another enhances the experience.


    One of their crazy promises is that standiums will be airconditioned. Temp and humidity will not exceed certain levels so it'll essentially be the perfect conditions for athlethes to excell. Just one reason why it'll be crazy.

    Well normally each team is assigned a "home" stadium. Two teams in a group normally share a home stadium and the other two teams share another stadium in close proximity. Qatar will have all stadiums served by a metro and within 30mins of eachother or something crazy, meaning you can actually catch a 2 or 3 games a day. A football fans wet dream.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 23,316 ✭✭✭✭amacachi


    Ebbs wrote: »
    One of their crazy promises is that standiums will be airconditioned. Temp and humidity will not exceed certain levels so it'll essentially be the perfect conditions for athlethes to excell. Just one reason why it'll be crazy.
    Was that not pretty much reneged on straightaway?


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,934 ✭✭✭OhNoYouDidn't


    England deserved to host the WC and it was a disgrace. that they lost out

    I am not the FA biggest fan but they had the best stadiums and so on to host the WC.

    FIFA have always been a joke simply as that.

    So do Russia, who England lost out to.

    There is of course corruption in FIFA, but this smacks of sore losers.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,397 ✭✭✭Paparazzo


    Le King wrote: »
    Was the FA offering FIFA executives tickets and accommodation for the London Olympics not bribery?

    The FA questioning anyones integrity is hilarious.

    Also is this the same David Triesman who accussed Spain and Russia or attempting to bribe referees at the 2010 World Cup. The same David Triesman who questioned the FA's lack of involvement in the financial running of Football Clubs after quitting the FA, due to his lack of integrity, as chairman and doing nothing about the FA's involvement in the financial running of Football Clubs himself. He also accused FIFA executives of wanting bribes for votes after England failed miserably in their World Cup bid.

    Good man "Lord" Triesman.

    Oh and he's a Communist...
    Don't think you said anything there that makes Lord Triesmans accusations "hilarious".


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,710 ✭✭✭✭Paully D




  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,092 ✭✭✭Le King


    Paparazzo wrote: »
    Don't think you said anything there that makes Lord Triesmans accusations "hilarious".

    The FA are accusing FIFA of taking Bribes for votes, while offering FIFA executives tickets and accommodation to London 2012. IF you can't see that's hilarious then you have serious problems.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,482 ✭✭✭Kidchameleon


    Le King wrote: »
    The FA are accusing FIFA of taking Bribes for votes, while offering FIFA executives tickets and accommodation to London 2012. IF you can't see that's hilarious then you have serious problems.

    To say giving a few tickets and a hotel room is the same as 1.5 million for a vote is ridiculous...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,820 ✭✭✭✭ctrl-alt-delete


    I don't think tickets to the olympics are as bad as some of the requests being reported. After all, the olympics are a sporting event, being held in one of the bid cities,even though it could have no sway as the vote took place before them.

    I'm delighted it has all come out, and that Triesman is making such a deal out of it. I don't think releasing th info at the time of the bid would have been a good idea for anyone involved.

    I think it is more to do with trying to get rid of Blatter with the vote coming up, not that there is much hope of that seems as though money will have already talked for that. At least it might set some foundations for a breakaway federation.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,092 ✭✭✭Le King


    To say giving a few tickets and a hotel room is the same as 1.5 million for a vote is ridiculous...

    A bribe is a bribe. England is poor in what it can offer compared to Qatar. So what you're saying is that a small bribe isn't ridiculous? Nice way of thinking that... :rolleyes:


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