Chapter 652: Rare Goods
There has long been overwhelming controversy surrounding FIFA, but so what?
Before the 2006 World Cup in Germany, Jack Warner, president of the CONCACAF Football Confederation, was found reselling World Cup tickets with his son by the media. The final result was that the matter was handled internally and the outside world was powerless to do anything.
During the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, when the whole world was excited about the World Cup, the host country South Africa stood up and publicly denounced FIFA as a vampire and denounced FIFA's various ugly practices. But so what?
Every time FIFA holds a presidential election or votes on the right to host the World Cup, rumors of vote bribery and vote buying are heard everywhere, but what can the outside world do to FIFA?
Even this time, Blatter voted out of the hosting rights for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, which were no longer within his power. The outside world almost devoured him alive, but he is still alive and well, free and easy.
He is like an ancient emperor, controlling a transcendent institution that cannot be constrained by secular politics and laws. Who can do anything to him?
Platini understood that FIFA had long been a place where filth and corruption were lurking. In this organization, there was no darkest, only darker. Even within FIFA, such a set of rules of the game had long been tacitly accepted.
However, this time the English FA was no match for Russia, and coupled with the international situation and political factors, the British media reported extensively on the various shady dealings of FIFA in the voting for the World Cup hosting rights.
After all, this is no longer just a dispute within football, it has risen to the national level.
Thinking of this, Platini's eyes lit up. Could it be that...
This Young Master Yang Huan comes from China, whose international status and influence have been rising steadily in recent years!
Thinking of this, Platini took a deep breath, calmed himself, thought about it again, and said, "Master Huan, I can't say more about the details, but for these things, I can only say that I feel very disappointed and sad!"
After hearing this, Yang Huan secretly laughed in his heart. This Platini is really cautious.
But his guess was absolutely correct. Although Platini looked very kind, in fact, this guy was also an ambitious man, no less ambitious than his predecessor Johansson.
If he had no ambition, how could it be possible that in just a few years he first worked for the French Football Association, then went to FIFA to be Blatter's assistant, and then came back to replace the president of the French Football Association as a UEFA executive member, chaired the UEFA Disciplinary Committee, and quickly defeated Johansson to be elected UEFA president.
Without ability and ambition, how could Platini accomplish so many things in a short period of time?
"Michelle, I'm curious, since you feel so disappointed and sad, why don't you resist?" Yang Huan asked with a smile.
"Resist?" Platini laughed and shook his head, "How to resist?"
Yang Huan shook his head and said nothing, but his meaning was very clear.
"As revealed and reported by the FA and the British media?" Platini asked.
Yang Huan did not comment, but he really wanted to know what Platini thought about this matter.
"Inside FIFA, although many people are disappointed and even dissatisfied with Blatter's actions, they also do not support and even dislike the actions of the English Football Association and the British media, because they are more like a tantrum after failing to accept defeat!"
When Yang Huan heard this, he couldn't help but smile and seemed to agree with it.
None of the countries competing for the right to host the World Cup has a clean record.
The 24 executive committee members have the right to vote on the right to host the World Cup. Which country participating in the election does not do everything possible to buy and canvass votes? Is the UK clean? Does the United States also buy and canvass votes?
The answer is, yes, all of them!
Since everyone has it, but Russia and Qatar won in the end, if you are a person with some responsibility, if you lose, you lose. At worst, I can make a comeback later. But if you lose and then expose the dark side and reveal the privacy, that would be a bit ungraceful.
It’s like four people are playing mahjong, and the one who lost money overturns the table in anger. How would the other three think?
Of course, Yang Huan does not support Blatter or agree with FIFA's approach.
Rather, they feel that the actions of Britain and the United States this time were indeed ungentlemanly, so it is normal that FIFA has a bad impression of them.
"Could it be that there is really no one, or no organization that can control them?" Yang Huan had an expression that said, "I really don't believe it." He stimulated Platini to continue.
Platini spread his hands and said, "In international football, FIFA's power is uncontrolled. Neither the law nor the government can control FIFA. Even the sponsors who provide FIFA with food and clothing are all dependent on FIFA."
At this point, Platini smiled bitterly and shook his head: "Don't think that the sponsors remain silent, and may even protest in the future, but when it comes to Blatter, none of them dare to say a word."
"For those sponsors, it doesn't matter what's shady or not, what's ethical or moral, the most important thing is that the World Cup and FIFA events can promote their brands, that's the key!"
Yang Huan agreed with this and thought Platini was absolutely right.
I'm afraid this is also the reason why Blatter and FIFA dare to be so arrogant!
Even South Africa, one of the BRICS countries, was badly cheated by them. What else are they afraid to do?
"As for UEFA, in its early years, Johansson had a bad relationship with Blatter and once proposed that UEFA member states take the lead in re-establishing a World Cup-like event, but in the end there were few responses. The reason is very simple. No one saw any hope!"
Platini's words hit the nail on the head.
Reorganising a tournament away from FIFA's control seems to make sense, right?
But in the final analysis, this matter is not worth considering at all.
Because if they fail, not only will they offend FIFA for nothing, but they may also be ostracized.
Even if you succeed, so what? Who can guarantee that the new organizer will not become the second FIFA?
Instead of doing this, it would be better to just stay in FIFA and continue to reap the benefits, regardless of whether it is black or white.
This has always been Yang Huan’s view, that is, no matter what the final outcome of the whole thing is, FIFA will still be FIFA. At best, it will just be a change of chairman and a group of executive committee members.
Platini said so much, and he was quite angry in his heart, because he found that he was completely powerless in many things, and even very passive, like a puppet.
But when he looked at Yang Huan again, he found that the latter still had a calm smile on his face and was looking at him.
This made Platini wonder, what was going on?
Yang Huan looked at Platini with a slight smile, and only when the other party felt a little uneasy did he withdraw his gaze.
"Michelle, maybe what you said is not wrong, but I think you should never underestimate the will of a country!"
Platini was stunned, "What do you mean?"
"What I mean is that FIFA may be aloof from the world, but in the eyes of a major political power, it is easy to eradicate it!"
Yang Huan's words made Platini's heart skip a beat and he felt a little panicked.
In fact, the French had such a premonition a long time ago, especially after Russia was elected as the host country of the 2018 World Cup. They believed that FIFA's attempt to intervene in politics and play power games was quite stupid.
The big countries ignore such aloof organizations because they simply don't have the time for it.
But this doesn't mean that others can't do anything to you. On the contrary, if you infringe on their interests, they can kill you in minutes!
"Master Huan, could it be that..." Platini's voice was trembling.
Yang Huan nodded, "Yes, I received the news. The UK's public exposure was just a warm-up show. The real core killer move is behind. The US judiciary has fully intervened and is investigating this incident in full swing!"
"What?" Platini was completely stunned.
He didn't think it was that scary if the UK intervened, but now that the US has stepped in, things have become serious!
Everyone knows that in today's world, the United States is known as the world's policeman, and it overbearingly puts all major and minor events that occur on the earth within the scope of its control.
More importantly, this time the United States announced its candidacy for the right to host the 2022 World Cup with great fanfare, but ended up losing to Qatar. FIFA's move is undoubtedly a slap in the face of the United States. Where can the world hegemon put its face?
More importantly, it is well known that the United States and Russia are not on good terms.
FIFA slapped the United States and Britain in the face, but gave the World Cup hosting rights to Russia?
This really touches the Americans' sore spot!
"Master Huan, is this... true?"
Yang Huan nodded solemnly, "It's absolutely true. Although no one in the outside world has leaked any information, I have received accurate information that the US judicial community is already collecting evidence, and it is said that they have already instigated a core senior executive within FIFA to defect."
This immediately surprised Platini again.
Things like vote bribing and buying votes are usually point-to-point transactions, and some are even cash transactions. It is not easy for outsiders to collect evidence, but if someone is undercover, the situation is completely different.
From this point, it is not difficult to see that Master Huan's source of information is indeed reliable.
It seems that the United States and the United Kingdom can no longer hold back and take action!
After all, it was FIFA that offended them badly this time!
But soon, Platini thought of another problem, which is...
"Master Huan, why are you telling me this?" Platini asked curiously.
Yang Huan chuckled and thought to himself, You really are a smart guy, I've been waiting for you to ask!
"Frankly speaking, I don't know how determined the United States is this time, but no matter what, FIFA will not fall. Even if they bring down Blatter, I believe FIFA will quickly elect another person!"
When Platini heard this, his eyes suddenly lit up and he showed a look that he could hardly refuse the offer.
FIFA President?
He is the emperor of world football!
As a qualified football politician, Platini asked himself if he had the courage and determination to reject this offer!
"Looking at the history of FIFA, all the presidents are from Europe. This is closely related to UEFA's core position in world football. FIFA's headquarters is also in Switzerland, Europe."
Having said that, Yang Huan gave Platini an encouraging look and smiled.
"Michel, looking at the current European football scene, I really can't think of anyone else other than you who is qualified to compete for the position of FIFA president!"
What Yang Huan has to do now is to follow the example of Lu Buwei in the Warring States Period and make the most of a rare commodity.
Back then, Lu Buwei's rare treasure was the fallen Qin prince Ying Yiren.
The rare treasure in Yang Huan's eyes is the UEFA President in front of him, Michel Platini!