YOUR FRIENDS' ACTIVITY

    Around the World

    Sexism, Scandal, Soccer: Inside FIFA’s Shadowy World

    For one month every four years, bars and living rooms around the world fill up with soccer fans dressed in their countries colors to cheer on their team with the hope of capturing a World Cup title.

    Similar to the Olympics, there's a sense that the whole world stops to watch the tournament, sharing the thrill of pursing one of sport's most coveted titles, even while knowing that the fate of all but one country will end in disappointment.

    But behind fans emotional attachment to the game, soccer is a multi-billion dollar industry and it's governing body FIFA, and specifically its head Sepp Blatter, have been dealing with accusations of bribery, extortion, sexism and a general sense of being out of touch.

    Blatter in particular has raised eyebrows for simplifying racial tensions, saying that racism could be solved with a handshake. His organization also drew criticism for being sexist and corrupt when FIFA's governing members were reported to have intentionally left woman off a committee to investigate ethics violations.

    To discuss the structure of FIFA and why it's been so difficult to clean up, Christiane Amanpour spoke with ESPN's Bob Ley, whose been with the network since it began in the late 70's and heads their on air soccer coverage.

    According to Ley, there is a sense that FIFA answers to no one and the material wealth they've accumulated along with the passion of their fans has created a system where FIFA only does as much as it needs to in terms of addressing unflattering accusations.

    According to Ley, "There are tentacles of allegations of corruption winding around the globe several times."

    Loading...
    • Bieber behind wheel as car hits man in Hollywood

      LOS ANGELES (AP) — Video shows Justin Bieber running into a photographer with his white Ferrari in Hollywood, but police say there was no crime and the injuries aren't life-threatening.

    • Campbell-Brown 'is not a cheat': manager

      (Reuters) - Embattled Jamaican sprinter Veronica Campbell-Brown's manager emphatically denied on Tuesday that the twice Olympic 200 meters gold medalist was a drugs cheat. "That she should now be accused of infringing on anti-doping rules is a shock to her," Claude Bryan said in a statement after the Jamaican Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) provisionally suspended the world champion following a positive test for a banned diuretic at a meeting last month. ...

    • Man charged with tossing wife off cruise ship

      SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — A California grand jury has indicted a Florida man on charges he strangled his ex-wife and tossed her off a cruise ship in Italy.

    • Kim and Kanye's Baby Name Is Not That Strange

      It's being reported that rapper Kanye West and his reality star girlfriend Kim Kardashian have named their brand-new baby, born this weekend, Kaidence Donda West. Donda was Kanye's late mother's name, so that makes sense, but, um, Kaidence? What's going on with Kaidence?

    • Tennis-McEnroe calls for Nadal to be seeded four at Wimbledon

      By Martyn Herman LONDON, June 18 (Reuters) - Wimbledon's seeding committee should use its power to promote 11-times grand slam champion Rafa Nadal into the top four, according to three-times former champion John McEnroe. Speaking the day before the seeds are announced for the grasscourt slam which starts on Monday, the American said it would be "totally wrong" if Nadal had to play world number one Novak Djokovic, defending champion Roger Federer or home favourite Andy Murray in the quarter-finals. ...

    • Massachusetts police search NFL player's home in homicide probe: report

      (Reuters) - Massachusetts State Police searched the home of New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez on Tuesday as part of a probe into a suspected homicide, according to ABC News. Hernandez was initially uncooperative with police after the body of a 27-year-old man was found in an industrial park near his home in North Attleborough on Monday, ABC News said, citing unnamed law enforcement sources. A police spokesman confirmed there was a homicide investigation under way in North Attleborough, but declined to give further details. ...

    • Danish mothers hold public breastfeeding protest

      Hundreds of Danish mothers have held a breastfeeding protest outside Copenhagen's City Hall after customers at a cafe told a woman suckling her baby in public that it was disgusting. Monday's protest was ...

    • Yankees' Youkilis needs surgery, Teixeira to DL

      NEW YORK (AP) — Kevin Youkilis needs back surgery and Mark Teixeira returned to the 15-day disabled list Tuesday with an aching right wrist, the latest injury setbacks for the depleted New York Yankees.

    Blog Authors / Profiles

    Loading...