After singing like a canary to the FBI over the acceptance of bribes for the 1998 and 2010 World Cups in France and South Africa, ex FIFA administrator Chuck Blazer has slowly become the face of the recent scandal to hit the sport’s governing body over the past week, and what a face it is.
Here’s the man’s very own blog entitled ‘Travels with Chuck Blazer and his many friends’ which he updated through his FIFA years. Amongst the smorgasbord of entries we find photos of the man in fancy dress (for which there are many) his meeting with the rich and powerful and his views on previous World Cup bids.
Here’s a few of our favourites titbits.
Let’s kick off with this absolute cracker. Chuck at Disney World.
It has been more than 30 years since I cruised the parks of Disney World in Orlando. What my visit on Sunday proved is you never get too old for Disney to be fun.
On England’s failed bid for the 2018 World Cup (Saturday, December 11, 2010);
I voted for Russia, England clearly had a great bid. But in the end, I look at England and say, ‘What more would we have when we’re finished other than what I am certain would have been a great World Cup?’
I believe that when we’re finished in Russia, we’ll have accomplished a lot of different things. We can open up a market that is important from a world perspective.
Everyone came away saying, ‘Wow, what a great World Cup in South Africa.’
It was a hard process to get there, but nonetheless the event was very, very successful from a TV, marketing, worldwide perspective.
And having done it there, it gave reason for everyone in the world to say, ‘We can do it here.’ No longer was it reserved for only for the big countries in Europe and the Americas.
On Qatar’s successful World Cup bid (Saturday, December 11, 2010);
I still feel heat is an obstacle that they won’t overcome in the time frame in which we hope it will,
Who knows? By then, we may be going around with air-conditioned suits.
Upon meeting Russian leader Vladimir Putin (Thursday, November 25, 2010);
As the large doors to his private inner sanctum swung open, I was greeted by a smiling and very affable leader of the government, Mr. Putin himself.
A firm handshake and a personable smile set the tone for what turned out to be a very special experience. He guided me to sit on a leather couch in the near right corner of the room. At right angles to that couch was another matching one where he took up his position so that we flanked the corner of a large wood bordered coffee table. On my couch, sitting near enough to be part of the conversation was the translator; while on Mr. Putin’s was Vitaly Mutko. The conversation began in a normal enough way, each of us thanking the other for making time for the visit. Genial welcomes continued until at one moment, he looked at me with a very serious gaze and said, without cracking a smile, “You know, you look like Karl Marx!”I guess I could have responded to his observation in any of a dozen unpredictable ways. Instead, I simply winked at him and said, “I know”. This brought an immediate response with him lifting his right arm up in the air and thrusting it forward to give me my first High-5 from a Prime Minister. I must admit that it was unique after all we have heard about this famous leader of the Russian Republic with a work history in the KGB. So, who knew what to expect? I can tell you that this began a half hour exchange of wit, charm and effective communications.
Finally, some lovely photos as the man dressed as Obi Wan Kenobi (Sunday, October 31, 2010);
