There are many mysteries in life, but one of the biggest I can think of is how the gaggle of clowns at FIFA continue to hold on to power. As if corruption, sexism, bribery, and outright incompetence are not enough for someone to lose such a visible position, Jack Warner has been doing his best to add "laughing stock" into the mix:

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id...010&cc=5901

WARNER ATTACKS FA OVER FREE HANDBAG

The war of words between FIFA vice-president Jack Warner and the English Football Association has re-opened over a handbag which was gifted to his wife by former FA chairman Geoff Thompson.

The handbag, worth £230, was presented to Warner last month at a 'Leaders in Football' conference in London last month and fell fully within FIFA rules in relation to gifts. Now he has returned the gift, angry at the media storm it has created.

But Warner now claims the handbag has become "a symbol of derision, betrayal and embarrassment" and he is annoyed that he received no backing from the FA.

wait, before you go any further, get the tissues out asap

He said: "If England does get it, it is because CONCACAF and I sincerely believe that England is deserving. 'I have faced and continue to face all kinds of indignities from all manner of persons. But when these insults touch my wife, it represents an all-time low.

"This malaise of my wife and I has been allowed to fester for too long much to our embarrassment and the embarrassment of the institutions which I represent," he added, criticising the "deafening silence" from the FA. "In this regard, therefore there is only one recourse: a return of this gift, which has become a symbol of derision, betrayal and embarrassment for me and my family.

:o Have pity on me that such a small measure of my corruption is being called for what it is.

Clown. A clown just like his boss. This is the same clown who lined his bank account with sales off world cup ticket allotments (not rumored, proven), who suggested England wasnt doing enough to "take care" of 2018 voters.

Have national FAs ever considered that enough is enough, and just abandoning international tournaments until there is some kind of change in the leadership of the game? Imagine a world cup without England, Germany, Brazil, Italy, Spain, etc. That would surely hit them in the pocket books. Something resembling a mutiny is long overdue

Its all enough to make you sick. You can read more (including Blatter's relationship with the cuddly dictator Charles Taylor) here

I thought he was good in Dixon of Dock Green.

I thought he was good in Dixon of Dock Green.

I opened this thread thinking, "But surely he died ages ago!"

But having opened it, I read it in bemusement. Why would any want to give his wife a handbag? Why would anyone want to spend £230 on a handbag? The whole story is risible! What a plonker!

Evening all

I opened this thread thinking, "But surely he died ages ago!"

But having opened it, I read it in bemusement. Why would any want to give his wife a handbag? Why would anyone want to spend £230 on a handbag? The whole story is risible! What a plonker!

It is really and truly a joke, moi. Apparrently the world cup selection process thrives on the giving of these little gifts to FA voters, and I am sure wives, girlfriends and extended family members are no exceptions. In fact Warner admitted not too long ago that England could lose its bid for 2018 and that if it did, it would be becuase they didnt "take care" of the voters like other nations did.

So its either play their game and give in to the corruption by spoiling a bunch of prats, or rise above it, base the bid on sporting reasons, and wind up losing. It really is laughable.

by the way, nice use of the word risible!

It is really and truly a joke, moi. Apparrently the world cup selection process thrives on the giving of these little gifts to FA voters, and I am sure wives, girlfriends and extended family members are no exceptions. In fact Warner admitted not too long ago that England could lose its bid for 2018 and that if it did, it would be becuase they didnt "take care" of the voters like other nations did.

So its either play their game and give in to the corruption by spoiling a bunch of prats, or rise above it, base the bid on sporting reasons, and wind up losing. It really is laughable.

by the way, nice use of the word risible!

It's truly despicable. There should be an investigation like the one into MPs expenses. All these effete, spoiled "what's in it for me-ers" should be shown the door, and replaced by people with a proven track record of honesty. Now where will we find them?