FIFA's Scandal-hit Technology Partner under Scrutiny
FIFA is monitoring the extent of a fraud scandal involving Indian software giant Satyam, its information technology partner for the 2010 and 2014 World Cups.
Satyam's co-founder and chairman B Ramalinga Raju resigned Wednesday after admitting his part in a $1.4 billion fraud.
"FIFA is monitoring the situation related to Satyam, a company which provides services of technical support to FIFA. At this stage and until we have more information, it is too early for FIFA to make any further comments on the matter," a FIFA spokesman was quoted by the Times of India.
But FIFA insisted this week that Satyam's sponsorship activation program for the 2009 Confederations Cup and 2010 World Cup in South Africa was unaffected by the scandal.
The IT company struck a sponsorship deal with FIFA worth an estimated $200 million in November 2007; it also includes the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
In the deal covering the 2007-2014 period, Satyam is in charge of developing the core IT event management system for FIFA, which includes accommodation, hospitality, accreditation, ticketing, results, FIFA's live feeds as well as FIFA's Web site. It is also involved in FIFA's transport, protocol and volunteer management systems.
BOA Says British Soccer Team a Priority for 2012
The chief executive of the British Olympic Association plans to reopen talks with Britain's four national football associations to ensure a men's and a women's football team take the field at London 2012.
With the English FA the only association keen on forming a Great Britain team for the Olympics, Andy Hunt has quite a job on his hands in the coming weeks.
"I'm sure the British people really want to see a unified team in the 2012 Olympics," Hunt told the BBC Friday. "The national football associations need to come together to resolve this matter for the British people."
FIFA recently reassured the Northern Irish, Scottish and Welsh football associations that any British team's participation at the Games would not jeopardize their independent status. But the FAs remain unconvinced.
According to the BBC report, the proposals on the table to ensure Team GB is represented in the football tournament at 2012 are: a play-off between the four home nations to decide who represents Britain; allowing England to participate as Britain; or bringing all four countries in and playing them under a special Olympic banner.
In March, all four associations will report back to FIFA with their feedback.
Hunt believes the BOA can play a big part in uniting the home nations and has welcomed FIFA's assurances to the national associations that their independence beyond 2012 would not be affected by forming a one-off GB team.
Team GB has not tried to qualify a team for the Olympics since 1974. FIFA blocked England's womens' team participating at the Beijing Games even though it qualified via the 2007 Women's World Cup.
New Faces on England's 2018 World Cup Bid
Former Marketing Director of London's bid for the 2012 Olympics, David Magliano is among three new appointments by the English FA to bolster its 2018 World Cup bid team. Magliano was named commercial and marketing director of England 2018 Ltd.
The Director of Corporate Affairs for the FA, Simon Johnson, becomes chief operating officer of the bid, while the FA head of international relations, Jane Bateman, is named director of campaign operations.
Last November, former head of men's professional tennis in Europe, Andy Anson, was brought in by the FA to lead England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup. The bid budget is set at $23 million.
English FA Sets Aside 'Sweeteners' in 2018 Bid
The English FA's bid to host the 2018 World Cup reportedly includes a cash mountain of $2.28 million in the proposed budget for what will be perceived as 'sweeteners' to win votes.
Britain's Daily Mail newspaper reports that a leaked FA document describes the sum as “monies needed for ad hoc strategic development projects to complement and build on the existing International Development Program to support the bid.”
But rival countries are likely to interpret this as clear evidence the FA has funds allocated to aid football in countries where a FIFA executive member – whose vote might help win the campaign – is based.
According to the newspaper, the budgetary allowance amounts to “cash for votes or sweeteners sure to attract the attention of the FIFA ethics committee.”
According to the leaked document, the full breakdown of the 2018 budget proposals, are: staff $10.8 million; bid ambassadors $761,300; travel $1.5 million; FIFA (four day) inspection visit $150,000; event presentations $750,000; international development projects $2.25 million; technical bid $1.5 million; marketing $1.2 million; professional fees $900,000; office costs $900,000 and contingency $1.5 million.
“We have nothing to hide. The allocated international funds are for legacy projects all around the world,” the newspaper quotes a bid spokesman as saying.
The FA says that since 2000, it has invested significantly in an International Development Program which has benefited established football-playing nations, developing countries and local communities across the world.
England had to retract its offers to fund training camps in the U.K. in its 2012 Olympic bid to avoid similar controversy.
FIFA Gala Evening
The 2008 FIFA World Player Gala, in which the men's and women's player of the year will be crowned, takes place at Zurich Opera House on Monday. For the first time there are five nominees vying for just one prize in the men's and women's categories.
The winners from last year are among the nominees again.
Other candidates for the men's gong are: Cristiano Ronaldo, who finished top scorer en route to winning the English Premier League with Manchester United in 2008, a year in which he also picked up winners medals in the UEFA Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup. Argentinian Lionel Messi, who in the last 12 months claimed his second Olympic gold medal, continued to dazzle almost every time he took to the field.
Also in the running are two Spaniards who conquered Europe with their national team this year: Barcelona playmaker, Xavi, and Liverpool striker, Fernando 'El Niño' Torres.
Very keen to relieve Marta of her title will be: her Seleção strike partner, Cristiane; German bronze medalists from Beijing, Birgit Prinz and Nadine Angerer and classy England attacker Kelly Smith.
The event will be streamed live on www.FIFA.com
Written by Anthony Stavrinos
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