He may believe that he is an Arab, African, gay, disabled migrant worker, but multi-millionaire FIFA president Gianni Infantino mostly just appears corrupt.
The record is clear.
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Infantino co-signed TV rights deals that reek of kickbacks. He was interviewed by Swiss prosecutors this January over possible corruption alongside the former Swiss Attorney General. He has appointed cronies to key positions within the world soccer governing body. He has maintained unusually close relationships with Russian and Qatari interests, embracing conflicts of interest with the hosts of the two most recent World Cups.
Now we have FIFA's announcement on the 2030 and 2034 World Cups.
The New York Times's Ken Bensinger hit the nail on the head: "First, FIFA announces the 2030 World Cup will be played on 3 (!) continents. Per FIFA rules, no continent can have two consecutive WCs. Hours later, Saudi Arabia announces its intention to bid for the 2034 World Cup. What a coincidence! Almost as if it had been planned that way!"
FIFA's announcement reminds us that only the Asian and Oceania football confederations can host the 2034 World Cup. Bensinger thus rightly concluded, "Remember the good old days when FIFA officials tried to hide the corruption and pretend they weren't on the take? Now they are just rubbing our faces in it."
The point is well made. Considering Infantino and FIFA are the ultimate deciders, it's a near sure thing that Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 World Cup. Arabs, Africans, homosexuals, the disabled, and migrant workers aside, there's nothing more that Infantino loves than money. And as with Qatar and its 2022 World Cup bid, Saudi Arabia will throw money — a lot of it — at whoever is willing to support its World Cup bid.
Don't misunderstand me.
I have no gripe with Saudi Arabia wanting to host the 2034 World Cup. Indeed, as I argued recently, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's effort to bring sports and entertainment excellence to his kingdom should be welcomed. Such foreign engagement will facilitate a Saudi economy that is less reliant on oil and more accepting of human rights norms. It will mean a greater diversity of jobs and opportunities for a youth bulge population otherwise be vulnerable to Islamic extremist propaganda.
My issue with FIFA's action is instead twofold.
First off, the hosting of a World Cup should be judged on the merits of a candidate country's application: its history and cultural connections to soccer, its prior applications, and its ability to host a major international tournament. Second, the principle that hidden bank accounts and deferred payments should have no role in affecting who gets to host a tournament.
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Let's wait and see, for example, whether Infantino gets an extraordinarily well-paid consulting job with Saudi Arabia once his time with FIFA ends. Let's see if he reappears in future Panama Papers-style disclosures on hidden money flows.
Top line: FIFA is what happens when you don't have an FBI and aggressive prosecutors. Hopefully, the capricious nature of Infantino's immense global greed will one day catch up with him. Until then, we can look forward to a 2034 World Cup in 110-degree heat. Or, more likely, another winter tournament. An outcome, as the legend Ian Holloway accurately predicted in 2010 (see below), of FIFA-befitting farce.