I have just watched an American mini series called Olive Kitteridge http://www.hbo.com/olive-kitteridge Superb stuff one of the best dramas I have seen out of the USA. This is off topic but I just thought I would share that with you
A book recently came out titled The Ugly Game: The Qatari plot to by the World Cup by Heidi Blake & Jonathan Calvert, and here's an excerpt from a review in last month's WSC that sheds a lot of light on how things get done under Blatter. I'll warn you now, you may want to put down any cups of liquid before reading any further... Blatter, who suddenly stepped down shortly after winning a fifth term in May's election, suggested in 2008 bringing the World Cup to Qatar. This was partly as a pay-back to (Mohamed) Bin Hammam for bankrolling the Swiss's first two presidential election campaigns. Bin Hammam, a construction billionaire and president of the Asian Football Confederation, then ran a two-year campaign of buying support for Qatar's bid. He paid more than $5 million (£3.2m) to the leaders of 30 African federations, helped arrange for Thailand to be supplied with cheap Qatari gas, and illicitly colluded with the Spain-Portugal 2018 bid to swap votes. As soon as Qatar won the World Cup prize, however, Blatter tried to undermine it with talk of a revote. He knew that Qatar 2022 would be an unpopular commercial and sporting flop, and also felt threatened by Bin Hammam's success. The Qatari, to protect his prize, decided to run against Blatter in the 2011 FIFA presidential election - and again to buy the votes... ...And just when a reader thinks his jaw can drop no further, the book reveals Blatter's deal with Qatar's ruling family later than month to finally rid himself of his presidential rival. In return for Bin Hammam withdrawing from the election, FIFA's president would protect Qatar's right to stage the World Cup and the disciplinary case alleging bribery by the Qatari would be dropped. Bin Hammam agreed reluctantly - only for Blatter to renege on his promise over the disciplinary case, which ultimately led to a life ban from football. The book contains five sources verifying this deal.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-34282632 Fifa suspect Eugenio Figueredo faces extradition to US Switzerland says it has approved the extradition of a Uruguayan football official accused of taking bribes. Eugenio Figueredo was one of seven officials with Fifa, world football's governing body, who were arrested in Zurich on 27 May. He is accused of receiving bribes worth millions of dollars relating to Copa America tournaments, Switzerland's Federal Office of Justice said. He has 30 days to appeal against his extradition to the US. Mr Figueredo is a former vice-president of the South American Football Confederation (Conmebol) and was a vice-president of Fifa. The Swiss statement said he is accused of: Taking bribes from a Uruguayan sports marketing company over the sale of marketing rights to the Copa America tournaments in 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2023 Gaining US citizenship "fraudulently by submitting forged medical reports in 2005 and 2006" Mr Figueredo had earlier contested attempts to extradite him.
FIFA have decided to try and upstage Son by suspending their Secretary General. Frenchman Jerome Valcke has been accused of some shady ****, so he's on gardening duty.
