Ignorance or unforeseen circumstances

Another article of significance to this issue was posted on The Daily Telegraph’s website on 31 August 2010. The article, written by Jessica Halloran portrays how the voting scandal would affect Australia’s credentials from our perspective. If Australia were not voted in as the eventual hosts of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the Football Association would have “gambled” away $45.6 million. Gambling is archetypal with this territory. Any international sporting event is involved in controversy sometime throughout its history. However, the bid is seemingly still in Australia’s favour, as FFA CEO Ben Buckley has said, “It was a very positive response from the delegation, we are certainly cautiously confident (of winning).”
One reader’s comments on this particular story caught my eye significantly. The manner in which they criticised the journalist was somewhat harsh, and perhaps, uncalled for.

“The reporter of this story is either very naïve or very stupid, I imagine if it was an Australian acting as head…that person would vote for Australia…”

This indicates the power of citizen journalism, allowing for the audience to voice their own opinion, however unnecessary their comments may be. In the end, of course, the reader is right. If a representative of a country in the running for the bid is within FIFA ranks, they will undoubtedly be bias towards their home.

Response to Gordon Farquhar's Blog

In Gordon Farquhar’s blog on the BBC’s website, Time for FIFA to ask difficult questions, he takes into account the issues touched on in the previous post. He comes close to comparing the current situation with FIFA to the International Olympic Committee’s problems with the bidding process for the eventual 2002 Winter Olympics at Salt Lake City. He recounts how the ethics commission established by the IOC created new rules and new codes of conduct, indicating that FIFA should undertake the same stance.

He goes on to claim that the “value of fair play, honest competition, respect and brotherhood” held little significance to the members involved in the scandal. Farquhar asks his readers whether they have entirely understood the implications of the allegations, perhaps indicating that there was more to the story, or the facts are being distorted.

Providing the readers with the opportunity to add their opinion on Farquhar’s perspective, I found the first comment posted the most intriguing. It states that Blatter (the head of FIFA) regularly “greases these guys palms”, possibly insisting that it was all a publicity stunt, as they probably already get their money’s worth. This blogger goes on to say that, “if its good for the goose”, then how did it end up in South Africa of all places? 

Should FIFA re-evaluate its voting policy?

As I indicated in my first post, the bidding process for the hosts of the 2018-2022 World Cups has been tarnished by claims that two Executive Members have breached the organisations code of ethics. With 30 days left until FIFA selects the host nations for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, an official decision on whether the voting will proceed on December 2 is currently in limbo.

Taking this into consideration, it brings about the legitimacy of FIFA’s voting system and commitment by the member nations. The ethics of not only FIFA, but the English newspaper that reported on the story also take effect. With the uncovering of match-fixing in cricket, has The Sunday Times gone to far after posing as lobbyists for particular hosts nations, in order to pressure the committee members into revealing who their vote was reserved for? Is the privacy of international sport associations at risk from persistent journalists? Or are the journalists doing the right thing, after perhaps receiving a tip-off that there was foul play involved?

I am of the somewhat controversial opinion that sees the hosts being announced first, before revealing the alleged scandal, as they will already have videos as proof. A quick re-vote is easier than all the pre-selection controversy.

To a certain extent, this issue of corruption also involves censorship. A suppression of the information may have been damaging to the sport in the future; yet the circumstances in which it was revealed were perhaps objectionable; therefore deeming the initial allegations inconvenient at the time. As a result of all this turmoil, the Nigerian member Amos Adamu and Oceania Federation President, Reynald Temarii, have become somewhat popular, which can be interpreted as a notion of micro-celebrity; some people do become relatively famous after being quoted or read about in the news.

Three points for a win, but none for a draw

Citizen journalism is perhaps the latest innovation in 21^st century journalism. It allows for the “common” members (initial audience) of the public sphere to report or comment on issues usually addressed by the Fourth Estate; it also allows for journalists to reach a wider audience via the internet. It affects news stories, sometimes providing eyewitness accounts (which can be more or less accurate) and facts.

What some people may not realise is that citizen journalism is all around us. Social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are the ideal models for conveying information relating to events of the day.

One particular demonstration of citizen journalism is the impending investigation into allegations of corruption regarding the voting for the 2018-2022 World Cups. This can be read on FIFA’s website, allowing website members to comment on the story and provide their opinion. Articles on The Daily Telegraph and FoxSports websites also allow for members to post comments.

With the supposed move of newspapers onto the internet permanently, in the not to distant future, the notion that citizen journalism may (eventually) become a complimentary source for news, can not be disregarded. Public opinion has been known to change the decisions of people (for the good and the bad). Citizen journalism is an advocate for this and will surely improve and become more influential in the future.

http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/federation/bodies/media/newsid=1320880.html