Fifa corruption pair ban:-implications for the UK World Cup 2018 Bid

Fifa executive committee members Amos Adamu and Reynald Temarii have been banned from voting in the 2018/ 2022 World Cup bids.


Contempt has been replaced by fear within the FIFA ranks, as voting members have awoken to the realisation that their power, influence, and position may be under threat...


The corruption which has been unearthed by the Daily Telegraph amongst others, shows that our UK bid, and dream of hosting the World Cup for the first time in half a century, looks set to an uphill battle...or is it? The implications for exposing the individuals within fifa, and the scandal, appeared to be severely damaging for the FA representatives, with many regarding them as unpatriotic, a particular theme amongst those supporting, and involved within the BID itself. This was compounded by the recent plan to continue with the BBC Panorama programme, to be aired only days before the voting is due to be cast.


It may well be argued, whether our Journalists working on behalf of the Daily Telegraph (and looking further back, to the Lord Triesman scandal)..should be applauded and perhaps respected for their attempt to seek the truth, even if it is indeed only for profitable economic gains. We may well, in a strange sense, feel pride, that we have not cowered in to the demands of the FIFA representatives, and responded at whim to their beck and call.


However, it has to be said, that despite these recent developments, our BID remains one of the strongest, having good infrastructure and plentiful supply of stadia, which is in contrast to that of similar bids, primarily Russia, whom suffers from transport issues, and Spain/ Portugal, where their combined efforts is likely to result in confusion, and inconsistencies with the standard achieved between the two nations. Although, it remains to be seen, whether such technical reports, provide anything other than a momentary distraction, and may as such be used in any case to support their preconceived views, in justifying the voting members favoured choices.


The results of the FIFA ethics committee has meant one thing; that is, the UK journalists were right in their assessment of these individuals in question, and as such, this may lead to greater tolerance and sympathy from other voting members, which may if we are lucky swing the vote in our favour.