God bless America

[DinoDoc]

Just curious. Why didn't a country that actually gives a damn about soccer do this before the US?

[rah]

Probably because they were either in on it, or felt impotent.
I assume those in power were in a position to deal out some good punishments to those that didn't go along.

[-Jrabbit]

Just curious. Why didn't a country that actually gives a damn about soccer do this before the US?

Very few other countries have achieved the mindset of exceptionalism, entitlement, and self-empowerment required to take on the task of policing the entire world.

Fewer still would decide that a sports organization, no matter how corrupt, should be near the top of their 2do list.

[kentonio]

Russia is liberal

This would be the new word you've chosen to describe anything you don't like, right? You got bored of calling everyone feminists?

[kentonio]

Just curious. Why didn't a country that actually gives a damn about soccer do this before the US?

America might not have been the hero we wanted, but it was the hero we needed.

[Kidlicious]

This would be the new word you've chosen to describe anything you don't like, right? You got bored of calling everyone feminists?

You understand that the US and allies maintain global order, don't you? Russia is opposed to global order. If that's not liberal, what is?

[Dauphin]

Just curious. Why didn't a country that actually gives a damn about soccer do this before the US?

Because you need jurisdiction and authority to get documents to proceed an investigation. The U.S. has jurisdiction over any USD transfer as all payments will clear through a U.S. bank. Switzerland has jurisdiction as the organisation is based there. Anyone else has limited powers or jurisdiction unless the transfer of cash involved their country or the corrupt act occurred there. Such payments and acts will be in isolation and harder to build up a picture and prove a case on the large scale.

Dodgy official and Russian rep discuss bribes in Moscow. Payment is made in cash. What national or international bodies have criminal jurisdiction? At best a national association could sue FIFA, assumedly in Swiss courts, but how would they ever get evidence to pursue the claim?

[kentonio]

You understand that the US and allies maintain global order, don't you? Russia is opposed to global order. If that's not liberal, what is?

What the actual **** is liberalism supposed to have to do with opposing global order?

[Imran Siddiqui]

This is actually a pretty good article on why Blatter wins the vote from third world countries - who cares about corruption when you are finally getting some infrastructure money from FIFA and you are worried the next guy isn't going to care so much about it (obviously that is one of the reasons Blatter makes it priority):

http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2015/5/29/8688057/sepp-blatter-fifa-corruption-presidential-election-arrests

In essence Blatter is (or at least acts like) a football socialist. Hence the have-nots in world football tend to support him. To them his individual corruption is irrelevant as they feel that plenty of would be Presidents would just forget about third world soccer.

You can't particularly blame African and Asian countries too much here. You would think though that anti-Blatter forces would figure out that the way to fight the Palpatine of Football would be to have someone who actually does care about football in the third world and is willing to invest in the have nots as well as clean up the game. I'm not sure a Middle Eastern Prince would necessarily care about the things those football associations care about.

[Bereta_Eder]

A month ago the gov discussed a law that was aimed at putting a stop to corruption in greek football.
Fifa threatened that if this law was put in action all greek teams would be disqualified from international tournaments.

Under pressure of being financially wiped out football leagues pleaded the gov not to go ahead with the anticorruption law.

And now fifa kicks the bucket.
good.

[Dauphin]

This is actually a pretty good article on why Blatter wins the vote from third world countries - who cares about corruption when you are finally getting some infrastructure money from FIFA and you are worried the next guy isn't going to care so much about it (obviously that is one of the reasons Blatter makes it priority):

http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2015/5/29/8688057/sepp-blatter-fifa-corruption-presidential-election-arrests

In essence Blatter is (or at least acts like) a football socialist. Hence the have-nots in world football tend to support him. To them his individual corruption is irrelevant as they feel that plenty of would be Presidents would just forget about third world soccer.

You can't particularly blame African and Asian countries too much here. You would think though that anti-Blatter forces would figure out that the way to fight the Palpatine of Football would be to have someone who actually does care about football in the third world and is willing to invest in the have nots as well as clean up the game. I'm not sure a Middle Eastern Prince would necessarily care about the things those football associations care about.

That's one argument. Another is that African and Asian FAs are equally rife with corruption and those who have feathered nests have no interest in having their paydays ruined.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Indeed that is another argument. But the more you continue with arguments in that guise, don't be surprise if they vote for the people who don't buy that narrative (Blatter and Havelange before him).

[Kidlicious]

What the actual **** is liberalism supposed to have to do with opposing global order?

Liberalism is opposed to order, on a global scale as well. Who are the most liberal? Anarchists.

[kentonio]

You ****ing ******.

[Kidlicious]

You ****ing ******.

Just because you're more liberal doesn't disqualify Russia. Learn to think before you speak.