Blatter sparks fresh controversy…

Yep, that’s right. Another blog about Sepp Blatter, the head of footballs governing body, FIFA. This time he has caused outrage by suggesting gay people- homosexuals and lesbians, should refrain from ‘gay activity’ if they go to the 2022 Qatar World Cup. I have already made my opinions clear about the decision to award a country like Qatar the world cup, but ironically Blatter has opened up further potential problems with this unthoughtful comment. For a start FIFA have created problems for themselves by awarding the world cup to a country which hold prejudices and laws that conflict with the rest of the world. Laws against homosexuals and lesbians restrict people’s human rights, and are quite frankly ridiculous in the 21st century. This threatens to overshadow the whole of the 2022 world cup.

Blatter says what he wants, when he wants, as he pleases. This is definitely not suitable, considering he is supposed to set an example to the rest of the sport. Quite clearly he has caused outrage with his recent comments, persecuting the whole of the gay community in a sense. This will surely raise further questions about his suitability to run FIFA. NBA star John Amaechi, who was the first basket baller to publically reveal he was homosexual, has been deeply offended by Blatter’s comments. He said, “Anything less than a full reversal of his position is unacceptable and if the FA and football and sporting associations around the world fail to acknowledge this insult, they too will be complicit.” Something I have to agree with.

Speaking for many English football fans, it would be fair to say, England do not like Sepp Blatter, or FIFA at all for that matter. Considering we are supposed to be ‘the home of football’, we don’t get treated with the respect we deserve. Various decisions, including the farcical world cup bidding voting process have gone against us as a nation recently, and this leaves me questioning what is the point? I would absolutely love us to leave FIFA, but then I realise, who would we be able to play football against then? The sad answer is no-one. Because of this reason we will always be tied to FIFA, let’s just hope when a new president takes over they have morals and a better understanding of the game than their predecessor. To watch the video of Blatter click here.

 

Russia to host 2018…What a disgrace.

Well, I have recently just saw that Russia have been given the right to host the 2018 Fifa World Cup. It’s a sorry state of affairs when the home of football can’t host the biggest event in football. I must say, as a huge football fan this has left me feeling very angry. For one, many of Russia’s stadiums that are being used for the world cup haven’t been built. This means the Fifa delegates who voted on their bid have based their vote on video technology of the what the stadiums might look like. To me, this is an absolute joke. Who the hell knows how a stadium is going to turn out??!! Also, look at all the problems Wembley had with the turf after it was built. Who’s to say the same thing won’t happen in Russia? Secondly the fact we sent a royal prince, and the Prime Minister David Cameron and STILL got eliminated in the first round of voting seems to suggest we’re never going to host the world cup. What is it Fifa have against the English? This was the England bid video.

Various flashbacks come to me. Firstly England vs Germany in the summer. A blatant, obvious goal wasn’t given. A goal that would have changed the course of the game, I have no doubt Germany wouldn’t have beaten us as easily if Frank Lampard‘s goal had been allowed to stand. I can’t remember the referee or linesman who didn’t give that goal receiving any  disciplinary action. Fifa were probably happy England were knocked out. Another flashback that comes to mind is the Chelsea vs Barcelona 2009 game, were Chelsea were denied a number of blatant penalties. Prompting suggestions that there was a Fifa conspiracy to not have two English teams in the final two years in a row. Both times I was left furious at the incapability of the referees Fifa had delegated to officiate on these matches. After all these referees are supposed to be the best in the world, and yet they are incapable of making obvious decisions, something smells fishy to me…

On a side note, to complete an absolutely farcical day Qatar were awarded the 2022 World Cup. Why does the world want to see a World Cup in Qatar? Please tell me… For a start the Qatar national football team are awful. They have never qualified for a world cup, and never will. Apparently the bid team impressed the Fifa delegates with the idea of knocking the stadiums down after 2022 and giving the parts to third world countries. While this is a nice thought, it’s probably because Qatar will never need a football stadium again.  Do they even care about football? Or Association Football as those posh idiots at Fifa call it. For me this is a very sad day, this proves the roots of football have been lost, and the idiots in charge at the top don’t have a clue with what they are doing with it.