Official FIFA atrocity World Cup thread

[Biffer]

So the Qataris have already backed down on a number of promises, so how soon are they going to back down on others? More interference with to crews, police wading into gay rights demos that will occur in stadiums (and trying to arrest any player who does anything similar), women being prevented from entering stadiums?

[Slick]

So the Qataris have already backed down on a number of promises, so how soon are they going to back down on others? More interference with to crews, police wading into gay rights demos that will occur in stadiums (and trying to arrest any player who does anything similar), women being prevented from entering stadiums?

Yup, it’s all just part of the wider power play in the region, who is the better Muslim

[Jim Lahey]

BBC a hard watch atm.

We get it, the Middle East is fucked. Can we talk about the football?

[PCPhil]

Wow! Big fix on?

[petej]

No idea why that was disallowed. Qatar and fifa are so corrupt

[petej]

No idea why that was disallowed. Qatar and fifa are so corrupt

Looked back through it. Can't see the offside.

[PCPhil]

No idea why that was disallowed. Qatar and fifa are so corrupt

Looked back through it. Can't see the offside.

Must have been one they showed us a cartoon of it. Deepfakes take a little more time to process.

[petej]

No idea why that was disallowed. Qatar and fifa are so corrupt

Looked back through it. Can't see the offside.

Must have been one they showed us a cartoon of it. Deepfakes take a little more time to process.

I think i found that moment but there is another Qatar player playing him on. The premier league at least uses actual game footage.

[Jim Lahey]

Training match so far for Ecuador. Could be a cricket score here.

[PCPhil]

9.8 for his acrobatics.

[PCPhil]

Qatar are useless.

[petej]

Qatar are useless.

The football has been rubbish. Qatar are not even championship level.

[Slick]

Was the stadium really half empty for much of the 2nd half?

[fishfoodie]

Was the stadium really half empty for much of the 2nd half?

The Slave Labourers ..... sorry; diehard soccer fans, probably only had to get their ticket registered, to get credit for attending.

[I like neeps]

This is why FIFA gets away with it. None of the European nations actually genuinely feel very strongly about all their virtue signalling.

Stand for something unless it means checks notes a yellow card.

What's funny is a rainbow armband is very milqutoast safe risk free protest. A yellow card for supporting gay rights becomes the statement and they can't even do it! It's all virtue signalling because they won't accept even a very small consequence.

[Tichtheid]

This is why FIFA gets away with it. None of the European nations actually genuinely feel very strongly about all their virtue signalling.

Stand for something unless it means checks notes a yellow card.

Do it twice and it's two yellows and banned for the next game.

The teams could have really made a stand if they'd all done it together, Fifa would have backed down if the big star names in the teams were all getting banned on their self-imposed technicality.

[Paddington Bear]

This is why FIFA gets away with it. None of the European nations actually genuinely feel very strongly about all their virtue signalling.

Stand for something unless it means checks notes a yellow card.

What's funny is a rainbow armband is very milqutoast safe risk free protest. A yellow card for supporting gay rights becomes the statement and they can't even do it! It's all virtue signalling because they won't accept even a very small consequence.

The whole thing is a little silly. If we wanted to make a stand then we shouldn't have gone. That would never happen so we're there and end up needing to play by the rules of the game.

[I like neeps]

This is why FIFA gets away with it. None of the European nations actually genuinely feel very strongly about all their virtue signalling.

Stand for something unless it means checks notes a yellow card.

Do it twice and it's two yellows and banned for the next game.

The teams could have really made a stand if they'd all done it together, Fifa would have backed down if the big star names in the teams were all getting banned on their self-imposed technicality.

Do it just once and you become a bit of a symbol though.



You have no values if you don't stand up for them at risk of a consequence to yourself.

I agree with PB. As soon as you go to Qatar you play by their rules and realistically there was never the appetite for any country to forgo a world cup. But despite all the blethering actions ring hollow if you won't accept a consequence. That's why FIFA, Qatar and others can push the envelope. They know it'll be accepted in the end.

As world cups are a bit about geopolitics I think this is the continuation of democracy in retreat. Democratic values don't stand up to authoritarians with energy reserves. Thank goodness Ukraine actually beat up the Russians.

[tabascoboy]

Well maybe if it's the last pool game and you're in no danger of qualifying then the entire team could wear one to test what FIFA would do - but doubt if any national association would risk a future sanction

[Tichtheid]

You have no values if you don't stand up for them at risk of a consequence to yourself.

I agree with PB. As soon as you go to Qatar you play by their rules and realistically there was never the appetite for any country to forgo a world cup. But despite all the blethering actions ring hollow if you won't accept a consequence. That's why FIFA, Qatar and others can push the envelope. They know it'll be accepted in the end.

As world cups are a bit about geopolitics I think this is the continuation of democracy in retreat. Democratic values don't stand up to authoritarians with energy reserves. Thank goodness Ukraine actually beat up the Russians.

I mostly agree with this, though Qatar do seem to be, ahem, shifting some goalposts as we go.

Pulling out of a World Cup you have qualified for would come with repercussions, possibly as much as being banned from the next one, so that was never going to be an option.

I loved the World Cup when I was a kid, football was my first sport.

[fishfoodie]

Well maybe if it's the last pool game and you're in no danger of qualifying then the entire team could wear one to test what FIFA would do - but doubt if any national association would risk a future sanction

I'll bet you the Americans could thumb their noses at FIFA & escape sanctions !

I'd love the Welsh & American captains to have a chat before the match, & agree that they won't play the ball after the kickoff, for say five minutes; then at 05:00 they start to play.

Imagine how National broadcasters across the planet would have to fill that empty five minutes, speculating why the players aren't playing

[Paddington Bear]

Well maybe if it's the last pool game and you're in no danger of qualifying then the entire team could wear one to test what FIFA would do - but doubt if any national association would risk a future sanction

I'll bet you the Americans could thumb their noses at FIFA & escape sanctions !

I'd love the Welsh & American captains to have a chat before the match, & agree that they won't play the ball after the kickoff, for say five minutes; then at 05:00 they start to play.

Imagine how National broadcasters across the planet would have to fill that empty five minutes, speculating why the players aren't playing

In the end you're asking a hell of a lot of people who have trained their whole life to try and win a world cup. This is the job of governments, now the teams are there they should just get on and play IMHO

[sturginho]

Well maybe if it's the last pool game and you're in no danger of qualifying then the entire team could wear one to test what FIFA would do - but doubt if any national association would risk a future sanction

I'll bet you the Americans could thumb their noses at FIFA & escape sanctions !

I'd love the Welsh & American captains to have a chat before the match, & agree that they won't play the ball after the kickoff, for say five minutes; then at 05:00 they start to play.

Imagine how National broadcasters across the planet would have to fill that empty five minutes, speculating why the players aren't playing

It'd be great if all 22 players agreed to wear the armband and then make the ref yellow card each one of them

[Jock42]

You have no values if you don't stand up for them at risk of a consequence to yourself.

I agree with PB. As soon as you go to Qatar you play by their rules and realistically there was never the appetite for any country to forgo a world cup. But despite all the blethering actions ring hollow if you won't accept a consequence. That's why FIFA, Qatar and others can push the envelope. They know it'll be accepted in the end.

As world cups are a bit about geopolitics I think this is the continuation of democracy in retreat. Democratic values don't stand up to authoritarians with energy reserves. Thank goodness Ukraine actually beat up the Russians.

I mostly agree with this, though Qatar do seem to be, ahem, shifting some goalposts as we go.

Pulling out of a World Cup you have qualified for would come with repercussions, possibly as much as being banned from the next one, so that was never going to be an option.

I loved the World Cup when I was a kid, football was my first sport.

If all/enough of the major associations said they wouldn't be attempting to qualify for this 12 years ago even FIFA would need to change their position.

Like others have said though it's all just virtue signalling. I get these guys have trained for years but it's not a sacrifice if it's easy. One match against your beliefs is nothing. Sane goes for all the presenters moralising but still taking the coin for being there.

[Slick]

Iranian players not singing their anthem with their own fans boo it. Brave people

European players won’t wear an armband

[Jim Lahey]

Iranian keeper should be coming off after that ffs. He looks fucked.

[Lobby]

Iranian players not singing their anthem with their own fans boo it. Brave people

European players won’t wear an armband

The Iranian captain has already spoken in support of the protestors.

"We have to accept that the conditions in our country are not right and our people are not happy. Before anything else, I would like to express my condolences to all of the bereaved families in Iran. They should know that we are with them, we support them and we sympathise with them….We are here but it does not mean that we should not be their voice, or we must not respect them. Whatever we have is from them. We have to fight, we have to perform the best we can and score goals, and present the brave people of Iran with the results. And I hope that the conditions change to the expectations of the people."

[inactionman]

Iranian players not singing their anthem with their own fans boo it. Brave people

European players won’t wear an armband

Brave men indeed. Made the Brits and Euros look like right twats

I don't think the English team sang the Iranian anthem either

I'm being glib. But one act - that of wearing specifically messaged armbands - has been expressly forbidden by tournament organisers, the act of not participating in anthems hasn't. Take it up with FIFA.

(who, of course, won't give a shit as they accepted the baksheesh to give it to Qatar in the first instance)

[Biffer]

Iranian players not singing their anthem with their own fans boo it. Brave people

European players won’t wear an armband

Brave men indeed. Made the Brits and Euros look like right twats

I don't think the English team sang the Iranian anthem either

I'm being glib. But one act - that of wearing specifically messaged armbands - has been expressly forbidden by tournament organisers, the act of not participating in anthems hasn't. Take it up with FIFA.

(who, of course, won't give a shit as they accepted the baksheesh to give it to Qatar in the first instance)

Not really the point. Protest often includes at the very least inconvenience and more often some kind of sacrifice. The airanian players might find themselves arrested / jailed / shot when they get home for the actions they’ve taken. The England players would get a yellow card. One set backed down, the others didn’t.

[bok_viking]

Denmark's kit was designed to protest Qatar's treatment of workers etc. They made a very toned down kit where even the logo can be barely seen and then stating online what the kit stands for as they could not put words, etc on the kit itself as not to break FIFA's rules related to political slogans, etc. I know Qatar was not very happy with the way Denmark released their kit and the media release that went with it.
I bought their Black WC kit that was made to mourn the deaths of migrant workers in Qatar. I cant remember Denmark ever having a black away kit.

[Paddington Bear]

Conflating what Iran did with what England, Wales et al won’t do is silly. Iran is in crisis and they can have some effect on it. Wearing an armband won’t change the status of gay rights in Qatar, or end their practice of indentured servitude, or stop them killing migrant workers in construction projects etc etc. why? Because they’re wealthy and possess resources the west needs. So we can moan all we like but this was inevitable from the moment they got the tournament. Don’t like it? Boycott it. Anything else is self congratulatory rubbish IMHO

[inactionman]

Brave men indeed. Made the Brits and Euros look like right twats

I don't think the English team sang the Iranian anthem either

I'm being glib. But one act - that of wearing specifically messaged armbands - has been expressly forbidden by tournament organisers, the act of not participating in anthems hasn't. Take it up with FIFA.

(who, of course, won't give a shit as they accepted the baksheesh to give it to Qatar in the first instance)

Not really the point. Protest often includes at the very least inconvenience and more often some kind of sacrifice. The airanian players might find themselves arrested / jailed / shot when they get home for the actions they’ve taken. The England players would get a yellow card. One set backed down, the others didn’t.

I don't doubt it takes courage.

The blame for the tournament being in Qatar still sits squarely -100% - with FIFA, as is setting tournament regulations based upon how much umbrage the Qatari authorities would take. But, sure, blame Harry Kane.

I'm being glib, but so much of this ire seems misdirected. Blatter and his cronies own this mess, much as they own the 2018 event going to Russia and all of the rights abuses this has helped whitewash. Infantino seems to want to gloss this over, if his bizarre speech is anything to go by, so I'm sadly expecting more of the same. I'm not sure a player wearing or not wearing an armband really achieves a great deal in this light.

If anything, makes me wonder if we need to rip up/out FIFA and start again. I'm not sure I trust many sporting bodies, but at least the RFU et al are usually just incompetent and not outright malevolent. FIFA are in bed with utter shithouses.

[fishfoodie]

I don't think the English team sang the Iranian anthem either

I'm being glib. But one act - that of wearing specifically messaged armbands - has been expressly forbidden by tournament organisers, the act of not participating in anthems hasn't. Take it up with FIFA.

(who, of course, won't give a shit as they accepted the baksheesh to give it to Qatar in the first instance)

Not really the point. Protest often includes at the very least inconvenience and more often some kind of sacrifice. The airanian players might find themselves arrested / jailed / shot when they get home for the actions they’ve taken. The England players would get a yellow card. One set backed down, the others didn’t.

I don't doubt it takes courage.

The blame for the tournament being in Qatar still sits squarely -100% - with FIFA, as is setting tournament regulations based upon how much umbrage the Qatari authorities would take. But, sure, blame Harry Kane.

I'm being glib, but so much of this ire seems misdirected. Blatter and his cronies own this mess, much as they own the 2018 event going to Russia and all of the rights abuses this has helped whitewash. Infantino seems to want to gloss this over, if his bizarre speech is anything to go by, so I'm sadly expecting more of the same. I'm not sure a player wearing or not wearing an armband really achieves a great deal in this light.

If anything, makes me wonder if we need to rip up/out FIFA and start again. I'm not sure I trust many sporting bodies, but at least the RFU et al are usually just incompetent and not outright malevolent. FIFA are in bed with utter shithouses.

There isn't enough money in Rugby to attract the really vile scumbags, we get the Arthur Dalys of administrators.

[inactionman]

Brave men indeed. Made the Brits and Euros look like right twats

I don't think the English team sang the Iranian anthem either

I'm being glib. But one act - that of wearing specifically messaged armbands - has been expressly forbidden by tournament organisers, the act of not participating in anthems hasn't. Take it up with FIFA.

(who, of course, won't give a shit as they accepted the baksheesh to give it to Qatar in the first instance)

The players and associations were weak. Don't pretend they were anything but

FIFA were greedy and morally bankrupt, don't pretend they were anything but. The regimes in Russia and Qatar aren't exactly unknowns.

FIFA is where the problems are, and there are many of them, even with Sepp, Chuck Tony and many others in chokey or facing the (sadly remote, in Blatter's case) prospect of it.

I do agree the associations should show more backbone, but FIFA even had the brass fucking neck to commission a report that they twisted to find England (one of their biggest critics) guilty of corruption in the bidding process. I'm not sure exactly what the FA can do about that, other than take their ball and go home - certainly no other football association stood up dspite the obvious farce of it.

[inactionman]

Conflating what Iran did with what England, Wales et al won’t do is silly. Iran is in crisis and they can have some effect on it. Wearing an armband won’t change the status of gay rights in Qatar, or end their practice of indentured servitude, or stop them killing migrant workers in construction projects etc etc. why? Because they’re wealthy and possess resources the west needs. So we can moan all we like but this was inevitable from the moment they got the tournament. Don’t like it? Boycott it. Anything else is self congratulatory rubbish IMHO

Pretty much it, although it still reeks of cutting nose off to spite face - one nation boycotting the World Cup wouldn't move the dial and would have whoever made that decision out on their ear in pretty short order. It won't achieve much without mass movement, and I'm not sure enough are exercised about it.

Ultimately, we're asking players to make token gestures where we should be tackling it at the top of the shop.

The Iranian gestures are not token and are part of a groundswell. It's not the same.

[Paddington Bear]

Not really the point. Protest often includes at the very least inconvenience and more often some kind of sacrifice. The airanian players might find themselves arrested / jailed / shot when they get home for the actions they’ve taken. The England players would get a yellow card. One set backed down, the others didn’t.

I don't doubt it takes courage.

The blame for the tournament being in Qatar still sits squarely -100% - with FIFA, as is setting tournament regulations based upon how much umbrage the Qatari authorities would take. But, sure, blame Harry Kane.

I'm being glib, but so much of this ire seems misdirected. Blatter and his cronies own this mess, much as they own the 2018 event going to Russia and all of the rights abuses this has helped whitewash. Infantino seems to want to gloss this over, if his bizarre speech is anything to go by, so I'm sadly expecting more of the same. I'm not sure a player wearing or not wearing an armband really achieves a great deal in this light.

If anything, makes me wonder if we need to rip up/out FIFA and start again. I'm not sure I trust many sporting bodies, but at least the RFU et al are usually just incompetent and not outright malevolent. FIFA are in bed with utter shithouses.

There isn't enough money in Rugby to attract the really vile scumbags, we get the Arthur Dalys of administrators.

Rugby is very fortunate as to the nations that take it seriously, but WR were IIRC quite bullish on holding tournaments in Russia.

[inactionman]

I don't doubt it takes courage.

The blame for the tournament being in Qatar still sits squarely -100% - with FIFA, as is setting tournament regulations based upon how much umbrage the Qatari authorities would take. But, sure, blame Harry Kane.

I'm being glib, but so much of this ire seems misdirected. Blatter and his cronies own this mess, much as they own the 2018 event going to Russia and all of the rights abuses this has helped whitewash. Infantino seems to want to gloss this over, if his bizarre speech is anything to go by, so I'm sadly expecting more of the same. I'm not sure a player wearing or not wearing an armband really achieves a great deal in this light.

If anything, makes me wonder if we need to rip up/out FIFA and start again. I'm not sure I trust many sporting bodies, but at least the RFU et al are usually just incompetent and not outright malevolent. FIFA are in bed with utter shithouses.

There isn't enough money in Rugby to attract the really vile scumbags, we get the Arthur Dalys of administrators.

Rugby is very fortunate as to the nations that take it seriously, but WR were IIRC quite bullish on holding tournaments in Russia.

I also worry what selling a big chunk to CVC will ultimately lead to.

[Slick]

Conflating what Iran did with what England, Wales et al won’t do is silly. Iran is in crisis and they can have some effect on it. Wearing an armband won’t change the status of gay rights in Qatar, or end their practice of indentured servitude, or stop them killing migrant workers in construction projects etc etc. why? Because they’re wealthy and possess resources the west needs. So we can moan all we like but this was inevitable from the moment they got the tournament. Don’t like it? Boycott it. Anything else is self congratulatory rubbish IMHO

I think this is missing the point, wilfully or otherwise.

We have all the European countries (by the way, just to note, I said European, not English in my first post) wailing about how terrible it all is and how much they support LBGT, women, migrant workers etc, then they get told they might get a fucking yellow card and crumple like a cheap suit.

Then you have a bunch of guys at a global tournament, being beamed live to a global audience, making a stand against a government who may well imprison, torture and kill them, not to mention their families who are currently in that country. That's the point and the difference

[fishfoodie]

Sadly the FAs aren't blameless, & can't just lay the whole farce at FIFA's feet, & pretend they don't benefit.

This was in 2014.

As if to remind us all of the delicious irony, on the eve of Friday's summit, it was revealed that senior Fifa officials - along with national association chiefs such as Football Association chairman Greg Dyke - had accepted gifts of £16,000 luxury watches in goodie-bags given to them by the Brazilian FA during the World Cup, a clear breach of Fifa's code of ethics.

There was more. We also learned that the world governing body's secretary general, Jerome Valcke, had intended for each Fifa executive committee member to be given a further two watches, this time from a sponsor, but had to be told by his own ethics committee that this would also constitute a breach of the rules. Shouldn't he have known?

Whether officials were merely ignorant of the standards they have to adhere to, or just chose to ignore them, is unclear. Either way, it was the last thing Fifa needed. Dyke, meanwhile, has said he would hand back his watch.

....

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/29284867

FIFA itself is a rigged game anyway; in the name of Democracy, it gives all 211 of the National delegates, the same vote; so when it comes time to hand out a World Cup, the delegate from, say Malta, or Northern Ireland, gets one vote; same as the delegates from the US, or China, or the UK.

Now it might take more than a Hublot watch to secure the vote of some delegates, but when there's always been a culture of bribes being tolerated by the FA, & all the other associations, it was obvious to any Country that wanted to host the World Cup, how they could secure enough votes. Russia & Qatar spunked enormous amounts of money on hosting the event, the money required to bribe enough delegates is laughable in comparison.

[bok_viking]

I don't think the English team sang the Iranian anthem either

I'm being glib. But one act - that of wearing specifically messaged armbands - has been expressly forbidden by tournament organisers, the act of not participating in anthems hasn't. Take it up with FIFA.

(who, of course, won't give a shit as they accepted the baksheesh to give it to Qatar in the first instance)

The players and associations were weak. Don't pretend they were anything but

FIFA were greedy and morally bankrupt, don't pretend they were anything but. The regimes in Russia and Qatar aren't exactly unknowns.

FIFA is where the problems are, and there are many of them, even with Sepp, Chuck Tony and many others in chokey or facing the (sadly remote, in Blatter's case) prospect of it.

I do agree the associations should show more backbone, but FIFA even had the brass fucking neck to commission a report that they twisted to find England (one of their biggest critics) guilty of corruption in the bidding process. I'm not sure exactly what the FA can do about that, other than take their ball and go home - certainly no other football association stood up dspite the obvious farce of it.

Yeah FIFA is the biggest culprit in this, and the influence they have over many countries because of the "beautiful game" But they are enabled by many countries. And even after all the corruption came out, they basically continued, just look at how quickly the most serious FBI allegations disappeared when FIFA announced that the USA will host the WC in 2026. But unless a big group of countries stand together against questionable actions, not much will change, 1 or 2 countries boycotting a WC would do absolutely nothing, you would need at least 50% of the participants to boycott it to push FIFA's buttons. Actions tend to be taken against countries that do not have a lot of money and influence to bribe their way out.