Start of sponsor activism?

Day -986. WorldCup2018‬

Nary an eveing comes by where I don't think what is going on in Russia that I'm going to have to get to sooner or later. But then Fifa pop into the news again, this time with a reverse gem.

Four of Fifa's major sponsors (Visa, Macdonald's, Coca Cola, Budweiser) have issued statements insisting that Sepp Blatter should step down, for the good of the game and all that (anybody laughing yet?). Of course Sepp said no. Now put your hand up if you think our friend Sepp is just biding his time, has got his crew working on this, and in due course (i.e. when he's really desperate) is going to be addressing press conferences subtly questioning the integrity of said companies and dealings they had with Fifa officials (probably officials who have since been fired by the ethics committee). 

Or, let's call this a pre-emptive strike by the major sponsors. They know something's coming, what does Sepp know, what does he have on them? They made the first, risky move. But will it backfire? They are dealing with the man with the master get-out-of-jail card.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/34430729 

Down day.

Day-987. WorldCup2018‬.

I wondered if I should start a separate countdown..how many days until somebody thinks I'm crazy for doing this for another 986 days. I might think that sooner than anybody else.

Platini, really?

Day -988. ‪World Cup 2018‬

I can't tackle Russia and all those issues until Fifa gets sorted. And the goings on there are going to carry on for a while.

Platini, guilty or not? I cannot face that my hero from the 1980s would be guilty. In the words of the Swiss prosecutor he is "in between a witness and an accused person". I keep checking the BBC for one of their "what this really means" stories. I need an explanantion of a "disloyal payment". I put it in """ because everybody else always does which makes me think one of two things: 

1. whoever writes it doesn't really know what it means, and....
2. ....it's not a real term, but made up by the Swiss preosecutor. 

 And today the English Fa said they will still back him for Fifa president. Debatable move. While this goes on I think of another two things: 

1. can all the candidates all be eliminated from the race and just give it to Zico, and 
2. can we just remember Platini for what he was before he tried to be an ethically clean administrator with no accustaions of receiving "disloyal payments"? 

And as I think of posting a link I think of one of two possibilities:

1. Platini winning the Euros in 1984 with 10 other Frenchmen around him to make up the numbers, or 
2. Platini vs Zico, World Cup 1986 in one of the greatest matches ever. 

1984 won, only because its all about Platini.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJpEwI92ITU 

Ethical Fifa.

Day -989. ‪World Cup 2018‬.

I'm almost hoping that Fifa sort themselves out so that I have to actually do some serious digging and stop being handed this ridiculousness everyday. It's so terribly comical when the ethics committee of an organization of questionable ethics bans somebody for life for suspect dealings. And even more comical that Fifa thinks they are gaining some credibility by banning Jack Warner from football, when everybody but Fifa knew he was a crook for a long time. Ah...keep it coming....or not.

http://m.bbc.com/sport/football/34388545

Oh Sepp!

Day -993. ‪‎World Cup 2018‬.

This is going to be easy. I don't even have to go looking for material. I can always rely on Sepp Blatter these days to hand me a good story on a platter. And for the bbc to do one of their "so what does this really mean" stories. The big unanswered question so far is how much Platini is involved. It goes on and on......

 http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34363560

Planning

Day -994. World Cup 2018.

Be patient. I am gathering my thoughts, doing research and working on my angle. Russian politics or Fifa? Strangely, to anybody who just landed from Mars, the two are somehow intertwined. This is a dynamic, fluid project.

Just to keep you updated, latest qualifying results: American Samoa beat Cook Islands 2-0. Second win in the pre-pre-pre-qualifying group for the American Samoans. Not to be confused with Samoa who beat Tonga 3-0. You never know, every World Cup has a Cinderalla story.

Russia 2018 starts here

I did 365 days. Now my World Cup 2018‬ project begins. 995 days to go. Yes, it's a long time and it won't be daily but it will be a, hopefully, interesting look into what will change between now and then in the political make-up of Russia and Fifa, seperately and in their currently covenient, cozy relationship.

Where will Russia stand viz-a-viz Ukraine? What kind of World Cup will we be looking forward to in Russia; one that is taking place in a country that is at war with it's neighbour or at peace with Ukraine; a country that is still ignoring numerous reports of racist incidents at football matches; a country that still has a terrible record on gay rights? 

And will Fifa be providing a football show or a side show of officials looking to make a few million $$ on the side? Will Fifa still be what is is today, or will it be better or worse? The feeling is all this crazy amount of money and political interference has to come to a head soon. Pre-Russia 2018 or after? 

I'll try to make it interesting and I'll try to make it funny. And I'll also try to keep you up to date on how some of your favourite teams like Belize, Brunei, Curacao, St Lucia, Mongolia are doing in the qualifying rounds. Oh....they're all out already and we're not even done 2015. But Guam, Bhutan and St. Vincent/Grenadines are still going strong.
995 days...hmmm.....