John Oliver on FIFA

John Oliver goes through some of the issues with FIFA running the World Cup in Brazil, in a funny way, and admits he feels conflicted in still being excited about the World Cup despite the many issues that appall us.

It's true that the love and fascination of the World Cup is ingrained within us from an early age, the exotic magic of the competition. Mexico 86 was the first tournament I properly enjoyed from start to final with that handball, the Group of Death, the Group of Sleep, the goals, the almost goals (Lineker in that match, again), the heroic performances, the upsets, the drama, the elation and the point where the dream wilts and dies in the blazing sun. It almost dazzles us to the point where any questions about running the tournament become forgotten amongst the spectacle.


Does this mean the issues aren't really important? Like lifting the Brazilian ban on beer in stadiums that has happened despite public health opposition. Well, Brazil must have thought the issue was important enough to introduce the ban in the first place. And in terms of ethics it is not up to FIFA to change host nations' ways of running a football match. In terms of fairness the benefits of changing the law won't accrue to Brazil and in terms of accountability if there are problems will FIFA be lobbying the Brazilian authorities to claim its share of responsibility?

Taking our ball and going home

Simon Jenkins in The Guardian argues that England FA should no longer tolerate the way FIFA works and quit. It feels like the right thing to do and would hopefully instigate a change in how the global game was run, particularly if European heavyweights like Germany and Holland also felt enough was enough. Maybe even in Brazil there is an appetite for change. And Australia who are perfectly capable or running an excellent world cup might be keen on being part of a new body that judges these things sensibly.

Would football go down the same road as boxing with different organisations overseeing different versions of the world title? Maybe, but who would want to be part of a rump FIFA left with the lower ranked nations competing for a worthless bauble while the main event was taking place somewhere else? Time for The FA to take their ball home.