The Kick Project

While The Kick Project welcomes the  decision to remove ex-FIFA Vice-President  and head of CONCACAF, Jack Warner from any official role in the world football family, we would caution that this is not enough. While Mr Warner appears to have dragged the game through the mud in the quest for personal aggrandisement, we feel his story should not be allowed to act as a diversion nor should he be a sacrificial lamb. By all accounts, FIFA corruption goes deeper than even Mr Warner's voluminous pockets. FIFA claims that "In his positions as a football official, he was a key player in schemes involving the offer, acceptance, and receipt of undisclosed and illegal payments, as well as other money-making schemes," But Mr. Warner took himself out of FIFA four years ago and resigned all his official positions. It's no surprise he is non-plussed by the ban. He is  reported to have said on Facebook , "if in September 2015 (some 4 years and 5 months after) the FIFA wants ...

Are we going the right way? My comment on FIFA and The World Game which ran in today's Courier Mail (Brisbane's main newspaper for those outside the country). It's pay-walled for some reason but here's the full version anyway.  Click on the link if you like it to make your interest known. Note, while this article concentrates on Messrs Blatter and Al-Hussein, two other candidates are running.  " A pparently, the big wigs of the World Game are in town for the Asian Cup. At least two major contenders for this year's FIFA presidential elections, Sepp Blatter and Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein, are here courting support, making deals, shmoozing and maybe even watching a game. Given our fair land is the first battle field of this vital moment in the future of the game, I thought I might take the opportunity to have a word in their ear. Sepp, Ali, lean in. Now, even within its first few days, Asian Cup watchers have witnessed the magic football can mak...

With the sixth FIFA Women's World Cup soon to get underway in Germany, it's a good time to take a look at how integrated the world game really is. While much has been done in areas of racial equality and in getting poorer kids involved in the game, the great divide between men and women players remains. This is puzzling as soccer is a game that in theory could be played by both sexes, equally, in mixed teams. However, its not so surprising given the misogynistic attitudes of high-up administrators, from Sepp Blatter down (including many top players, media and supporters), cultural obstacles to women playing sport in general and the more physical nature of the modern professional men's game. But, as anyone who has seen top level women's football, the decrease in overt physicality and speed is more than compensated by the greater flow and by the diminished presence of win-at-costs attitude. The bravado and macho cuture of the men's game is shown up as empty p...

This was sent in response to my post yesterday on FIFA and how we might democratise the organisation. Looks like a promo for a longer documentary, but not sure. Anyway, its nice work and asks some vital questions, which remain - crucially - unanswered. Check it out.

With so much ado about FIFA's risible descent into farce, there's a lot of accusations and blame being thrown around. While it's fair to say FIFA and its head-honchos have stuffed up big time, many are also casting a jaundiced eye over those who have dipped into the FIFA trough and who would likely benefit from the status quo. Among them are the 180 or so national football associations who failed to join the English FA and others standing for ethics and call for a cessation of the entire voting process - including for the latest World Cup votes - pending a complete review of the corruption allegations (although the FA, to be fair, has a vested interest in having a recount on the World Cup bid as it may have a chance of winning it this time). Among them, I'm sorry to say, is the Australian FFA, rightly lambasted by former player and now commentator Craig Fozzie Foster in the local Australian press (and on his TV spots) on the weekend for falling into line and disgr...

Memo to Mr Blatter: Football has great social influence. Your job is to see that it is used wisely. Sincerely The Kick Project Enough said. FIFA and Burma: the beautiful game It's a match to conjure with: FIFA president Sepp Blatter and the Burmese generals. An unaccountable regime, long dogged by allegations of corruption, mismanagement of resources, and arbitrary decision making. And then of course there are the Burmese....( more ) Tim Johnston The Financial Times March 18, 2011 Picture credit: Christian Science Monitor