Opinion Article on: Fifa to investigate new allegations over Qatar 2022 World Cup bid

Michael Garcia

The ethics prosecutor Micheal Garcia was appointed by the president of FIFA (Sepp Blatter) to internally investigate the bidding and voting processes of the election of the host countries for the World Cup of 2018 and 2022. The World Cup of 2018 is going to be held in Russia, and the one of 2022 is going to be held in Qatar.

Most of the controversy has risen around the election of Qatar. The two key point of controversy are; temperatures during the summer months and the working conditions. During the months of June and July (when the tournament is supposed to be held) temperatures can sore up to 50 degrees celsius. The organising committee's solution is to air condition the stadiums so to create an environment which in it is possible to play and spectate the game. However, outside of the stadium it will remain 50 degrees celsius, so going to from the stadium is unbearable. Even Sepp Blatter has admitted that these conditions are not suitable for a World Cup. FIFA was le
ft with two options. The first one was to change the hosting country. This is impossible for the FIFA to do because Qatar has already invested a near 100 million dollars in to the development of the World Cup. If the FIFA were to strip Qatar of the World Cup they could claim back all their invested money, which is a sum the FIFA cannot afford. The second propositions is to move the 2022 World Cup to the winter season, this seems more plausible, this does however interfere with the Winter Olympics of Sochi, the Champions League and the Premier League. Up to this day there has been no decision on wether the World Cup of 2022 will be moved.

The question of temperature also falls under the second point of controversy. The working conditions. There have been numerous reports and articles that have shown that the working conditions are abominable. In Qatar, as a worker you are bound by the kafala system. This system can almost be seen as a system of captive labour. For an employee to change job, the respective sponsoring employer's consent has to be given. If an employee wants to leave the country, the employer also has to grant a visa, so that they can leave. The system can also be used as blackmail, because if an employee tries to sue or walk out, the employer can tell the authorities they have absconded and the employee will be arrested. In addition, an article from the Guardian states that in the past 9 months, 312 stadium construction workers have passed away whilst constructing the stadiums for the World Cup of 2022. Up until now, it seems that the FIFA has turned a blind eye to the situation because there has not been any real response to these allegations.

From a point of view of a person that is looking on the situation, it seems like these problems could have seen the light of day long time before Qatar was elected to host the World Cup of 2022. I am thus curious in the results of Micheal Garcia. Even though he is paid by the FIFA, Mr. Garcia seems to be unbiased and has been quoted to say: "No one is above the ethics code. I have no history and I will call it on the fact. But it has to be based on an allegation and that allegation has to be backed up by the facts. That same standard and process is applied to everyone." I think Sepp Blatter made a mistake by choosing Mr. Garcia because if there was any misconduct, it might cost him his own head.  

Sources:
Fifa to investigate new allegations over Qatar 2022 World Cup bid - The Guardian

How many more must die for Qatar's World Cup? - The Guardian

Fifa ethics chief Michael Garcia confident about investigation - BBC

About Me

My name is Bastiaan Steffens, I was born on the 14th of June 1993, in the United States of America in the city of New York. However, I am Dutch, because both my parents are Dutch. I currently live in Amsterdam, this is also where I am currently studying International Sport Management and Business at the University of Applied Sciences of Amsterdam.

If I were to describe myself, it would be simple. I could do it using only one word, sport. Sport has been the red thread through out my life. Sport has had influence on all aspects of my life. From the decisions I make to how it simply makes me happy.

Since about the age of eight I knew I did not enjoy school and that it would be hard to convince me otherwise. So the only thing that would motivate me to go to school was the hour of recess we had per day where I could play sports. From a young age I have already combined school with sport and that was the way I made it bearable for myself. In combination with the realisation that hard work pays off, I am now studying what suits me as a person. A study that combines the theory with the practice, not only in sport but also in the skills I learn in class.

Finally, I like to see myself as; a realist, someone that is able to learn from his own mistakes and someone that does not have any regrets. The two last points may seem contradictory how can I you not regret anything but still make mistakes? From my point of view, a person should be able to not regret mistakes as long as they learn from them. As a person I am extremely content with where I am. I am studying what I want and I have all the things I need. I have gotten to this place with the decisions that I have made over the past years, no matter if they were the good or correct ones, the result is that I am now in a place where I want to be, and that is the realist in me.

Contact me:
My e-mail

My LinkedIn Profile

My CV

My Sport Management Hero: Johan Cruijff

The choice of my sport manager hero can be considered biased based on the fact I am an Ajax supporter. However, in my opinion the choice is based on one concrete reason. The reason is that I respect and admire people that can be honest to themselves and know their limitations, second of all people that can make a seemingly negative situations into a positive one will always receive my respect. Based on those reasons my sport management hero is Johan Cruijff.

Johan Cruijff was born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands on the 25th of April 1947. Johan Cruijff is a former professional football player. His career as a football player included Ajax, FC Barcelona, Los Angeles Aztecs, Washington Diplomats, Levante and Feyenoord, in addition he played for the national side of the Netherlands. Preceding his career as a player Johan Cruijff became a manager of several teams. These teams were; Ajax, Fc Barcelona and Catalonia.

The first part of the reason why Johan Cruijff is my sport management hero is that he is able to admit his limitations. Johan Cruijff did not go to university due to his football career, after his football career he admitted that he did not know anything but football, he even called himself dumb in some interviews. It is with this self reflection that he set up the Johan Cruijff University in 1999. The vision of the institute is to give young professional athletes the opportunity to obtain a educational degree whilst they strive for gold medals. Johan Cruijff learnt from his mistakes but also from the environment and realised that there was an opportunity, similarly to what made him great in football, Johan Cruijff managed to be in the right place at the right time, and seized the opportunity.

The second part of the reason why Johan Cruijff is my sport management hero is linked to one of his most well known dutch quotes. "Ieder nadeel heb zijn voordeel" or directly translated as "Every disadvantage has its advantage". Johan Cruijff is maybe not always known for his optimism, but for his realism. In the documentary about him, Johan Cruijff - En Un Momento Dado, Johan Cruijff says that the fact that the best team in the world lost the World Cup Final in 1974 made them more famous than if they had won. As a Dutchman that is extremely hard to believe but if I take time and reflect on what he says, only a true realist can look at a negative outcome but can see the positive affect it has in the long run. Personally, someone that has his feet so firmly on the ground, commands respect and I feel that he fully deserves it.