You’ve probably heard in the news that FIFA is in a bit of trouble. If you don’t know who FIFA is then let me remind you.
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association is in charge of the big event where you support USA without really knowing what is going on. Founded in 1904, it is in charge in organizing the World Championship of Futbol, or soccer. For those of you who need a refresher of what the Mens World Cup looks like, see exhibit A.
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According to the FIFA website the mission of the organization is: "To improve the game of football constantly and promote it globally in the light of its unifying, educational, cultural and humanitarian values, particularly through youth and development programmes."
Unfortunately, with money comes corruption, and that is exactly what FIFA is facing now. Below is a short timeline of the scandal and how it could impact you.
May 2010
The bids for the 2018 and 2022 world championship were delivered.
November 2010
Six officials were suspended for taking bribes from France and Spain.
December 2, 2010
Russia and Qatar are chosen for 2018 and 2022 hosts, a big surprise after FIFA found Qatar to be dangerous to spectators and athletes during June and July.
2011
More information about bribes being taken by multiple officials, the most important being Sepp Blatter, who was reelected for his fourth term as president.
2012
The Council of Europe reports allegations with more information that points to Sebb Blatter accepting bribes. More members of the officials involved in choosing a host are investigated for bribery, and a total of 14 are suspended
2014
An internal FIFA investigation clears Sebb Blatter of any wrongdoing, but in response many of the council members resign without reason. Micheal Garcia is the man tasked with investigating the allotment of the bids. It is discovered that over 1,200 migrant workers in Qatar have died building the facilities for the World Cup.
May 2015
The U.S. Department of Justice announces the indictment of 14 people for 47 counts of racketeering and money laundering. Sebb Blatter is one of them.
Summed up, this means that several of the big shots in charge of FIFA have been caught with their hands in the cookie jar, and the consequences could be serious fines or jail time. It could mean that the 2018 or 2022 World Cup could be postponed, or moved, depending on the findings of the Swedish and US investigations.
How does this affect you? It means that you’ll have one less month long event to drink and cheer for. It means that, for those of you who are futbol fans, you will have one less opportunity to see your favorite players compete for the World Cup. Overall, it doesn’t seriously impact your life, but it will change what could be, and it will hurt the economies of the countries involved. This could be a tipping point for FIFA that could end the World Cup or offer free publicity to increase viewership. Only time will tell.
