FIFA President Gianni Infantino leaving his position will not resolve deep corporate problems inside world football, sports journalist Dariusz Wolowski reported on Wednesday.
Wolowski stated that the official FIFA slogan of caring about football remains a meaningless phrase. He noted that he does not defend Infantino, but recalled that systemic corruption predated the current leadership.
Brazilian official Joao Havelange introduced large-scale corruption to FIFA while ruling from 1974 to 1998. Swiss official Sepp Blatter expanded those practices during his presidency from 1998 to 2015, before FIFA suspended Blatter and UEFA chief Michel Platini for corruption in December 2015.
Maracana press box tickets
Wolowski recalled his experience covering the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, the last tournament he attended as a correspondent. He traveled 500 kilometers from Sao Paulo to Rio de Janeiro to cover Argentina playing Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Maracana stadium.
Because his name was only on a reserve list, he could only request a press box ticket after arriving at the venue. Before the match, an impeccably dressed FIFA official stood holding a stack of tickets in front of journalists from around the world.
The official asked reporters where they were from and granted or denied tickets without explaining his criteria. Journalists pleaded while citing travel from poor African nations or online readerships of tens of thousands, hoping to see Lionel Messi make his World Cup debut in Brazil.
The official handed out passes individually until the referee signaled the start of the match. He then placed the remaining tickets on a desktop for reporters to grab, revealing that enough passes had existed for everyone all along.
FIFA host selection and federation funding
FIFA officials treated ticket-buying fans with similar arrogance despite supporters funding the tournament, Wolowski reported. While prices in 2014 seemed high at the time, they were small compared to ticket costs at the recent World Cup hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
FIFA earns massive revenue by awarding World Cup hosting rights to countries that demonstrate huge profit potential. Wolowski noted it is widely known that bribes were paid to high-ranking FIFA decision-makers during voting for host nations.
Under FIFA rules, officials from 211 affiliated national federations elect the president who promises the largest financial payouts. When local authorities uncover corruption inside a national federation, FIFA defends the body by claiming football must remain free from political interference.
Polish football leadership controversies
Wolowski reported that the Polish Football Association, known as PZPN, follows the exact same operating model. Executive trips, banquets, and program subsidies are funded through sponsors, FIFA, and European governing body UEFA.
When the Polish government attempted to audit PZPN, UEFA threatened to ban the Poland national team from the Euro and World Cup tournaments and exclude Polish clubs from European competitions.
Polish football has produced only one world-class player in 40 years, striker Robert Lewandowski. Lewandowski has criticized PZPN multiple times over governance issues.
PZPN President Cezary Kulesza took a man convicted of football corruption on national team trips and hired a bodyguard for Lewandowski who previously belonged to an organized crime group. Kulesza later ran unopposed for re-election.
Corruption inquiries in foreign federations
Wolowski noted that federations in Spain and Argentina differ from Poland because their teams achieve major international success. However, governance issues persist abroad as well.
Argentine Football Association President Claudio Tapia currently faces an active corruption investigation. Tapia continues to claim credit for national team achievements following victories by Messi and his teammates.
