Platini urges change to World Cup selection process

[genbu-no-miko24.livejournal.com]

GENEVA — European football chief Michel Platini on Saturday suggested opening up the way World Cup hosts are selected in the wake of the 2018 and 2022 bidding scandal, citing the "pressure" on top officials.

In a newspaper interview, Platini -- a member of the executive committee of world football governing body FIFA that selects the World Cup hosts -- acknowledged the growing economic stakes in sport's most popular event.

"Maybe we can talk about that, what we can change in the way it is awarded," UEFA's president told the Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger, suggesting that such reforms could be considered after the current "bad period".

"You can imagine what kind of pressure a candidate could exert on a person who has a vote," Platini said.

"With a World Cup there's about 10 billion to 20 billion Swiss francs (10-20 billion dollars, 7.4-15 billion euros) in it for each country."

Platini suggested that the choice should be expanded beyond the current 24-strong FIFA executive committee to a vote of the 208 member associations or nations in world football's governing body.

"Maybe one possibility is that the whole Congress decides, that way the weight of an individual would not be same as it is today," he explained.

"But it's very complicated. FIFA has 208 associations. Europe has 53 votes, Africa has 53; South America, however, just 10 -- they would never get a World Cup."

FIFA suspended two other executive committee members on Thursday after a probe into newspaper reports of corruption or ethical misconduct in the race to host football's 2018 and 2022 World Cups, just two weeks before the hosts are chosen. Both officials said they would appeal.

The affair has revived uncomfortable memories of old influence-peddling scandals over the past decade and late 1990s that shook world football's decision makers

LE SOURCE

Comments

[genbu-no-miko24.livejournal.com]

But it's very complicated. FIFA has 208 associations. Europe has 53 votes, Africa has 53; South America, however, just 10 -- they would never get a World Cup."

How does Africa have 53 and South America 10...I kinda confused here :/

[kitty69lover.livejournal.com]

Europe = 53 countries = 53 NTs/Associations = 53 Votes [each association = 1 vote]

Africa, the same. yes, Africa has A LOT of countries.

and SA has 10 countries. = 10 votes.

[cojos-revenge.livejournal.com]

Africa has many countries. South America only has Peru, Chile, Venezuela, Bolivia, Paraguay, Colombia, Ecuador, Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil.

[kitty69lover.livejournal.com]

this is why Blatter is bloody brilliant in his own way, with each association = 1 vote. non-footballing countries that DO have an association have a vote similar in weight with footballing giants.

you can guess whose associations' votes can be swayed too.

[verses.livejournal.com]

How did Brazil get 2014 if South America has 10?

[melj1213.livejournal.com]

Because this is talking about a hypothetical change to the voting rules to give the members a vote and isn't the current system, under which Brazil got 2014

[verses.livejournal.com]

Oh, my bad, I misread! TBH I've never paid attention to the voting process because it's such political bullshit

[wall-upper.livejournal.com]

well, basically he's saying that if they changed the voting system the way they are suggesting without putting any extra measures in place, south american countries would never get enough votes to host a WC because there are only 10 members in their association--Peru, Chile, Venezuela, Bolivia, Paraguay, Colombia, Ecuador, Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil.

[anais-molko.livejournal.com]

i think they mixed SA with Africa.......... notice the lack of Asia there aswell

[kitty69lover.livejournal.com]

no, each association = 1 vote. and each country has one association. there's no coefficient here, each country's vote weights the same.

and Africa has 53countries. = 53 votes. while SA only 10.

[hazel-belle.livejournal.com]

And this is why FIFA is a clusterfuck.

[haisha-hime.livejournal.com]

Preach Godovan, preach.

[hazel-belle.livejournal.com]

Amen &hearts

[chaotic-n.livejournal.com]

I'm confused...

[melj1213.livejournal.com]

Basically Platini is saying that the current system of having the 24 Executive members vote on who gets the WC is too much of a burden on them because of the pressure that can be applied to those few with a vote, and he is suggesting a hypothetical change could be that they widen the vote so that each of the 208 member nations get to vote too.

However if that was the case, he's saying that some nations like South America, who only has 10 associations and therefore would be given only 10 votes in this new hypothetical set up, would never get a WC because they would need to rely on other nations giving them votes, when they are more likely to vote for their own nation.

[chaotic-n.livejournal.com]

Thanks a lot :)

[rikayla.livejournal.com]

so basically canada would never get the world cup because there are only three countries in north america? and the usa always manages to overshadow canada anyway? >___>"

[lady-lunacy.livejournal.com]

There's Central America and the Caribbean and three South America countries in CONCACAF too

lol Canada World Cup tho

[emyoueffsee.livejournal.com]

at least we got 2007 lol

[vindictaa.livejournal.com]

yo i'm just happy we got the olympics

[piratesswoop.livejournal.com]

there are 23 countries in north america lol

[formulatedeyes.livejournal.com]

"South America, however, just 10 -- they would never get a World Cup."

Last I checked, Brazil's in South America.

[wall-upper.livejournal.com]

? they're talking about it hypothetically, as in if they changed the voting system, south america would miss out. thats not the way it works atm

[melj1213.livejournal.com]

and the last time I checked Brazil was chosen under the current voting system, not this hypothetical change ;)

[formulatedeyes.livejournal.com]

I WAS CONFUSED!! forgive me :D

[wall-upper.livejournal.com]

just to clear stuff up a bit, basically the reason south america only has ten votes is NOTHING TO DO with the quality of their teams--it is because there are not many associations in the CONMEBOL group. Paraguay, Chile, Colombia, Argentina, Uruguay, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Venezuela and Ecuador.

the reason they would miss out is because they would have fewer votes going their way, because they have less votes as a collective. obviously countries are going to vote for a WC within their association.

[emyoueffsee.livejournal.com]

There should be a group that decides but this group should be unknown to the bidding countries if that makes sense... don't give them the chance to bribe them or influence them in an unfair way. I don't think the associations should vote, it'd just lead to more politics in football

[queiry.livejournal.com]

I think this would be the best way, it would also take the pressure off the voters/deciders if no one could track their votes or whatever. Maybe that would (hopefully) help fifa make choices for better reasons then just money and actually stand by what they claim they do, like social integration and anti discrimination.