Qatar wouldn't surprise me
It's been a pr nightmare for Fifa
and a humanitarian one for the workers

I haven't read any evidence of Russian bribery, yet, either.

The only thing more disgusting is that it's such a trivial concern.

And that was the national pride that greeted such a trivial matter as hosting the World Cup. Then again, that's just me. I find that kind of nationalism and jingoism irritating to the point of nausea.

If it's such a big deal when it was awarded, would actually be a bigger deal when it's stripped away because of high-level corruption.

If it isn't a big deal when it's awarded, it's still a bigger deal if it were stripped away because of high-level corruption.

In all situations, the shame would be greater than the potential honor. Of course, to avoid that shame suddenly, in retrospect, it has to be claimed that it never was a big deal. It's really hard to predict the past. Of course, trying to duck shame like that is, in many cultures, considered cowardly and weaselly. (In others it's considered a face-saving maneuvre that is wholly appropriate and, if you're protected by it, commendable unless it's so obvious that it becomes another ding in your honor plating.)

It doesn't matter what country's reputation is at stake in this. Qatar's or Russia's. At this point it's just a matter of principle.

angry when the US was passed up for the Olympics. I wasn't. Sports are such a waste.

if they lose their cup, then a few hundred people might not die...that is worth it.

a country that should be awarded international events like the Wold Cup or the Olympics. And yes, they did bid for the Olympics.

You know this is Russia we're talking about, right?

being the low bidder in a bribery scam is not moral high ground.

But it does attract less publicity and makes for less work to undo the damage.

"Let's see, the US bribed unsuccessfully so it didn't get the World Cup. What action do we take besides in the courtroom? Uh ... None. At the FIFA level, we do what we need to do otherwise. At the US level, it'll make the papers but won't be a huge splash because, well, it doesn't affect the non-host country all that much." In some ways the really important story would be that soccer's come of age in the US to be worth having officials bribe FIFA.


"Let's see, Qatar bribed successfully so it did get the World Cup. What action do we take besides in the courtroom? Uh ... We have to find another venue and make sure it's built out, but quick. We have reprinting and we have to change our publicity. The removal of FIFA officials and others in Qatar will be a matter of public spectacle because it will have very news-worthy affects in the former host country." Then again, in a country like Russia or Qatar, a bribery scandal that's blatantly and poorly covered up would be a comfort--they value social stability, and bribery is part of the stable social fabric of those societies, as is poor cover ups of official malfeasance.

If that happened Putin would probably drop a nuclear bomb on FIFA headquarters in Zürich. Well probably not literally but you can be sure that Putin's reaction would be extreme.

Their bid appears to have been clean, they're a sportsmad country, they'll have the facilities, and they've never hosted it before. I'd love to see it in the US, but they've hosted it only a short time ago and then there's at least the appearance of a conflict of interest with the FBI raids.

Qatar never made sense from the beginning. Russia, OK, but Qatar?! It's hard to think of a more unsuitable country to host it, and that's putting it very mildly.