FIFA: Ballon rond et corruption

This is a fascinating watch, ahead of The Qatar world cup in 2022, this four part series details how it happened, how we've gone from Russia, to Qatar.

Such a fascinating watch, whether you love football or not, this really is worth a few hours of your time. Fascinating interviews and insight, the amount of times you'll hear the words...'FIFA is not corrupt,' said with a straight face and no blushing.

The first word that comes to mind when you think of FIFA, corruption, we've all known for many years that the institution is a rotten, corrupt organisation, one which has served to line certain pockets. Credit to those that went after those that thought they were beyond reproach.

Money makes the world go round, that saying could well be applicable for those at FIFA. The organisation is rotten to its core, it seemed that many of those involved were heavily into corruption, blatant levels of it. It is actually sickening to watch. You can't help but feel bad for those that were in place for the love of the game, what must they have thought watching events unfolding over that last few years.

If like I do, you love football, you are going to watch the world cup, all I ask is that you spare a moment to think of those that died building the infrastructure in Qatar.

Where next, you have to wonder, will it be to whoever is willing to pay the biggest price. North Korea maybe?

Startling, 9/10.

Perhaps if FIFA had paid strict adherence to its very own Rules and Parameters, more likely than not, this Documentary, FIFA UNCOVERED, would never have been produced and distributed!

First, let us focus on the The Title's content and context:

There must be at least a handful of You asking Yourselves.... And Exactly what does FIFA stand for? Well, let me offer my help. F. I. F. A. Stands for the name of the International Organization responsible for governing and supervising all International Soccer Football matches around the World! Since the original name is not in Engish, but in French, I invite You to look it up! It should only take 10 or 15 seconds, if knowing its original name is really that important to You! UNCOVERED explains carefully the origins and history of FIFA and exactly why its name is in French.

If I have now piqued Your interest, here is some great News for You: UNCOVERED will fill You in on the particulars of Sportswashing and its relation to QATAR very nicely... In a way that is guaranteed to quickly have You craving more! There is most definitrly no other Sport in the world that can compare to Football. (Need I remind You that outside of the USA and Canada, FOOTBALL means only one thing: Soccer Football.)

Immediately, upon seeing the Title: FIFA UNCOVERED, many friends have mentioned dropping what they were doing and beginning to watch! Considering that this Review, hopefully, will post just a couple days before the Qatar World Cup Final Match.,,Timely... Certainly seems to be the operative word in this case!

UNCOVERED clearly demonstrates the very highest production values in Documentary Filmmaking. It is a film that checks all the boxes. Watch and You will probably agree "Entertaining" should probably top the list. May I have the ENVELOPE Please!... FIFA UNCOVERED! Kept me mesmerized from opening frame to end credits. Even if You are not a huge Football or Sports fan... You will find it most enjoyable... Here, I am trying my very best to exlain exactly why!

Let me offer a clear example to substaniate the claim made above: When the subject matter of a Documentary is composed of events that occurred many years in the past... Quality Editing is absoluetly indispensable. Kudos to KEVIN KONAK! His Film Editing clearly demonstrates an uncanny sense of timing that keeps the viewer on the edge of their chair throughout the entire film! IMPECCABLE! I think would be my word of choice!

Since much of what is depicted on screen occurred 30 to 60 years ago, of course, old film clips, were often juxtapositioned with scenes that were produced very recently. These were all photographed in a way in which said contrasts in time were not in the least annoying nor unpleasant, as is so often the case. My hat is off to You, MICHAEL TIMNEY, for your truly Superb Cinemaphotography.

As regards the writing of the Narration dialog, Semantics and Tone should be absolutely spot on. Again, UNCOVERED hits the BullsEye in this category! So, let us give credit where credit is due. MILES COLEMAN...Exquisite is a term that seems to fit nicely!

Here is a Documentary that has something for everyone! From the diehard lifelong Football Fanatics who have watched several matches per week for decades, to the individual who has never watched any sporting event, of any kind. And just why would I say this? You are perhaps asking Yourself at this very moment. Well, UNCOVERED has been produced in a most thorough and meticulous way. It takes a very methodical approach to International Football, going back to its origins and emphasizing its longtime sportsmanlike amateur roots.

Sadly enough, however, the world of FIFA Football began its total implosion in 1974. Yes, it is now nearly 50 years ago that the mountains of cash being generated by International Football ascended into the Stratosphere! UNCOVERED does make one extremely key point absolutely crystal clear. That despite the cesspool FIFA began morphing into around the mid-Seventies, probably 99% of worldwide fans basically turned a blind eye. As long as the FIFA World Cup was carefully organized, scheduled and all of its games broadcast in practically every country in the world, it seemed that practically the entire world was composed of Happy Campers! The behind the scenes sordid corruption pervasive at the highest echelons of FIFA, was really nothing over which most Fans ever lost any sleep!

Soccer FOOTBALL had a squeaky clean image in my mind, until viewing FIFA UNCOVERED a few days ago! WOW! Talk about a Wake-Up Call! There are 2 things that I hope will happen as a direct result of this Documentary:

1) Many Millions of Football Fans around the world will be lucky enough to see it! And..... 2) All of us consummate fans can figure out something we can do to change a lot of the disgraceful goings on!

Some of the participants in FIFA World Cup games and activities undoubtedly have had at least some idea that there are, and have been, one Hell of a lot of very sleazy activities in which the Directors of FIFA have been involved, but which have been simply shrugged off as.... Well, where BILLION$ of Dollar$ are involved and Dozens of Countries partcipate and benefit handsomely... STUFF HAPPENS!

There are 2 important omissions in UNCOVERED. One which You might deem most appropriate: Although Mr. Josepp Blatter most certainly enriiched himself immensely owing to his position and involvement with FIFA... There is never any attempt to put an exact dollar figure on the total monetary benefit he received. Kudos for that Documentary Discretion!

The second omission must be chalked up as pehaps the only major shortcoming in the film itself. There should have been much more emphasis on the tremendous importance of the consistently augmenting presence of Both the USA, the largest market in the World for Sporting Events and in the lives of many Milllions of Americans throughout the past 1/2 Century!

Any Review of UNCOVERED would be incomplete without a standing ovation to the man who so masterfully blrnded a plethora of diverse elemnts together in his finished product, Director DANIEL GORDON. Your inspired Documentary truly speaks for itself!

Even if You are one of the minority who has very little or Zero interest in Football, I am sure that because of its importance to Billions of others on the Planet, You will realize the very special signifcance of the focus of this Documentary and appreciate its approach, tone and overall even-handness in tackling a subject (No Pun intended) which is near and dear to the heart of so many hundreds of millions of inhabitants here on Earth!!

So, no matter what Your personal opinion or realtion with Soccer Fotball happens to be, I am absoluetly convinced You will find UNCOVERED to be well worth every minute spent enjoying it!

Because you will end up with repugnant narcissists with Napoleon Complex like Sepp Blatter. The man is clearly insecure about his height, having brought it up on two occasions unprompted in the first episode alone and lying about his actual height (he says he is 5'7" but he is arguably only around 5'3"). Imagine letting yourself be tormented by a lack of height your entire life regardless of wealth and status. While his contribution to this documentary was useful in portraying just how delusional and self-serving he is, much of it was not relevant to illustrating the corruption happening under his presidency within FIFA.

The FIFA story is just an example of what is happening across the world in companies, corporations, governments and countries. Corruption is inevitable when you have unsound people, who are narcissistic, psychopathic or Machiavellian, pulling the strings at the top. They are the ones who are ambitious and unscrupulous, displacing their good-natured and righteous opponents. The unsuspecting public are also often swayed by their empty promises and false image. To mitigate corruption, first know the enemy and stop giving them a clear path to unfettered power.

You know you're dealing with a psychopath Blatter when he could smirk at every horrible event/deed - even if he's not personally involved in it, the nonchalance is chilling. And if he isn't, and he wasn't aware of any wrongdoings, the fact that things were happening right under his nose and he's ignorant of them all makes you question what kind of a leader he was.

And "I like the question" + smirk when asked about abuses and deaths of foreign workers in Qatar. Goodness. ICYMI, this is the same guy who's reported to have ambitions to win the Nobel Peace Prize via FIFA.

Perhaps what needs more probing is our unquestioning psyche. There are many corrupted and immoral institutions in the world, FIFA is hardly the only one, yet most of us keep letting it recur, turn a blind eye as long as we could consume something nice. Worse, once we sense that we could benefit from a corruption, we will potentially turn to the dark side in the blink of an eye. But I think as long as money is regarded as the only thing of true value in most societies, I'm not optimistic anything will ever change.

As we watch FIFA football/soccer games, and even play video games almost every day, the dirty corruption behind the scenes is deeper and more widespread than we thought.

In 4 episodes, this documentary offers a few glimpses: FIFA's blind eye to dictators exploiting the sport, exploitation of players, buying votes for chairman/location elections, exploitation of workers from developing countries... it's all very infuriating. By the 4th episode, you can't help but feel only a small bit of justice has been dealt.

There are lingering questions, however. The documentary seems to uncover the tip of the iceberg. But how were other World Cup locations decided, besides Russia and Qatar? Were the culprits limited to CONCAFA? (can't be) No famous players wanted to contribute to the documentary? So there are limitations to this documentary, and understandly so since corruption is usually very hush hush.

Still, it's a good wake up call that organizations with loads of money, unchecked power, and easily exploited representatives from poorer developing countries make for good corruption (and probably not limited to FIFA)