The most condemned World Cup in history begins: Sarkozy, Platini and the dark deal of money and power | Negotiators in France to bring the trophy to Qatar

From Paris

A form of silent shame that hides or covers up expressions of excitement, muffles jokes, or prevents the possibility of gathering to watch a football game. World Cup Qatar 2022. We already know the truth in detail: the corruption that presided over the country’s post, the ill-treatment of migrants involved in stadium construction, the infinite injustice of awarding a negotiated World Cup to a country. Football is rarely among political, economic and sporting leaders in Paris. Today, a French court is investigating former president Nicolas Sarkozy and former UEFA president Michel Platini over the awarding of the World Cup to Qatar and the purchase of the French capital’s soccer team, PSG, by a Qatari investment fund. The timeline of the case is a sad joke as subsequent proceedings revealed what happened behind closed doors in the presidential palace: just months after losing the presidential election to the Socialists. Francois HollandeSarkozy’s first foreign trip was to Qatar. On December 11, 2012, Nicolas Sarkozy participated in a forum on sports sponsored by the Qatar National Bank in Doha, the capital of Qatar. Sarkozy admired that small monarchy, then led by his dear friend Amir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. The former president hailed the “major strategic choice” and “realignment” in favor of the Muslim country.

Political lobbying

At or before the Elysée Palace, football became something else amorphous and powerful. It was the political and financial lobbies of the two states that decided above all sports bodies, not federations or under-the-table commissions. In short, they stole football, the magic of the players, the love and enthusiasm of the fans.

Travel to Doha after ten years There is ample evidence that the National Financial Prosecutor’s Office (PNF) organized the Qatar World Cup during a lunch at the Presidential Palace after what it called a “corrupt deal”. The lunch took place on November 23, 2010: in addition to Sarkozy, the then Crown Prince and current Emir of Qatar Michel Platini (whose votes were decisive for Qatar’s victory) attended. Tamim Al Thani, His Prime Minister, Hamad bin JassimClaude Quandt, Secretary General of the French Presidency and Sports Adviser to the President, Sophie Dion. Around that little lunch, some other business is going to happen, among them buying Gator Holding LLC of Paris St. Germain Later, fighter jets were sold to Qatar Raphael Y Airbus. In 2019, the National Financial Prosecutor’s Office opened an investigation against Sarkozy for “active and passive corruption”, “laundering”, and “concealment”. The decision in favor of Qatar was won by 8 votes to 14 for the United States. At the start of the 2022 World Cup, European representatives, particularly the French, have a low profile. This is nothing less: the World Cup was stolen to benefit a small conservative group of Wahhabi Emirate companies in an effort to build a soft power against its powerful neighbors (especially Saudi Arabia). (Airbus, GDF-Suez, Vinci, Areva, Alstom, Vinci, Lagardère, Accor) and Sarkozy cronies (ex PSG co-owner etc Sebastien BassinA representative of the club’s real owners, the American Investment Fund Colonial capital) and the French aviation industry, civil and military: Qatar bought 80 Airbus A350s for $16 billion and 24 Rafale fighter jets for $6.5 billion. The National Financial Prosecutor’s Office describes Sarkozy’s intervention as a “win-win”, meaning both parties take a treasure.

Not guilty verdict

Qatar 2022 is coming to shatter the innocence of not interacting with fans or players: the privatization and manipulation of the massive human emotions that drive sport, in this case soccer, turns 28. This process, which started with the 1994 World Cup in America, has now reached its climax The World Cup in Qatar was the dirtiest, most corrupt, unjustifiable and indigestible in history. The cycle of soccer-business as a complete destination and the entry of invasive advertisers into soccer began in 1994 with the World Cup in the United States. When Gringos entered the field, nothing was like before. Between the United States 1994 and Qatar 2022, FIFA led soccer to a more transparent alliance with ultraliberalism: in the hands of three characters with easy smiles and shady actions: the first, the Brazilian Joao Havelange, the first non-European, and, for 24 years, president of FIFA. He undertook two parallel processes: he consolidated his power while simultaneously developing the football-business. France won the 1998 World Cup final in ParisJoão Havelange Handed over his last trophy. His legacy was already football, at its best and worst: sport-business above all else. But it opened up the game in many directions: women, the Third World, the people integrated China into FIFA (1978), promoted the organization of World Cups in Africa and expanded football into a world kingdom tainted by corruption. , buying votes. , Rude manipulations in raffles. On July 12, 1998, Havelange handed the FIFA scepter to one of the two protagonists of the ill-fated World Cup in Qatar: his “spiritual son”, Sepp Blatter, the little brother of this conspiracy and he will control the control of FIFA related to Platini’s main player at the helm of UEFA. The current president of FIFA, Gianni InfantinoBlatter was replaced in 2016.

The first episode of the scandal unfolded over lunches between Platini, aka Platoch, and Sarkozy. The last lunch, on November 23, 2010 (three weeks before the decision to host the World Cup), changed Platini’s decision: the head of state has political allegiances, business, ambitions, it is unknown. As is clear from the investigations conducted by the French courts, Sarkozy and his allies carried out an effective lobbying job to get Platini to change his mind and choose Qatar. Platoche, until then, was in favor of the US being the headquarters and staunchly opposed to Qatar, which he loathed. William Gaillard, Platini’s former adviser, told the French court that the UEFA president “considered Qatar’s candidacy absurd”. Testimony from another UEFA collaborator, Kevin Lamour, claims Platini said that “if Qatar is chosen after Russia, it will be FIFA’s decision”. Platini changed his version several times, but admitted that he had voted for Qatar. As for the famous lunch with Sarkozy, the former number 10 of the French team assured that he received a “real message” of sorts from the French head of state. Later, Platini assured the court that he had decided to vote for Qatar “before lunch with Sarkozy”. This version was refuted by another rogue, and the target of pro-Qatar lobbies, Sepp Blatter, the president of FIFA at the time: Blatter said in 2011: “Before that famous lunch I had never heard of Michel Platini being pro-Qatar. Platini told me that Sarkozy had suggested voting for Qatar. “These are the interests of France,” he told me. Instead of denying it, Platini explained the consequences of his presence at that lunch, and France. And accept whatever he chooses for the well-being of the Qataris. This is a Franco-Qatari affair.” In October 2021, FIFA’s current president, Gianni Infantino, told the court that “it was true what Platini believed after lunch”.

Investigation

Platini’s vote added three more Europeans in favor of the emirate, the rest from corruption. Of the 22 executives who voted in favor of Qatar, 16 have been prosecuted or jailed for their involvement in the tainted process. The United States, to whom this World Cup was awarded, opened the hunt for corrupt traitors. The French police dossier on the ongoing investigations is huge: commissions, concessions, arms and media sales, jobs for friends and relatives, subsidies to members of Sarkozy’s circle who participated in the conspiracy, in short, an endless arrangement between politicians. , one constant stands out from the military, construction companies, FIFA and big capital: France’s diplomatic and military interests modeled the entire negotiation following Qatar’s political interests. Despite extensive research and evidence, no one is convicted. To date, the French justice system has not charged anyone in connection with the 2022 World Cup probe into Qatar. Soccer is owned by multinational corporations and states that can afford it. Fans and players are active middlemen of the business they contribute to and have stolen from them by others. As the days go by, Qataris are sporting grim images of mistreatment of migrant workers, political and gender harassment, and an energy vacuum. I hope not.

In Europe, the moral impact of this World Cup is greater than in the rest of the world, and it’s understandable why. Many cities such as Paris, Marseille, Bordeaux, Lille and Strasbourg, Marseille, Berlin or Brussels refuse to broadcast the World Cup in public. “Fan zones” don’t work. A very hypocritical act of depriving fans of their common ground. If their moral panic was so great, they would have decided not to send their troops. Pure theater. Federations are very sensitive to cash call and Qataris pay well. The World Cup will be played in a hole stinking of the work and kindness of the initial betrayal of someone who should have protected the interests of their sport: Platini knelt before his big boss, Sarkozy. Others distributed millions and aid until the final betrayal was completed.

[email protected]