The business associated with sports, is gaining momentum around the world. Superstars like the footballer Cristiano Ronaldo (Cristiano Ronaldo) or “king of sprint” Usain Bolt (Usain Bolt) have become icons of the global entertainment industry, which turnover is estimated at about 80 billion euros per year. However, bright and attractive “wrapper” of the spheres of dramatically different state of Affairs in the higher power structures of world sport.
Despite harsh public criticism, they continue to operate — in particular, as Trustees of the organization. While in the midst of rampant corruption, manipulation, financial disorder and doping. In the past year these things became visible as never before. “Loser of the year” it is possible to enroll in the first place, the International football Federation (FIFA) and international Olympic Committee (IOC).
It would be naive to believe that with the departure of “the Patriarch” Joseph Blatter (Joseph Blatter) FIFA time solved all their problems. Bribery and the shadow economy are deep and systemic problem in such organizations. By the way, soon after taking office in February, Gianni Infantino (Gianni Infantino), who succeeded Blatter as head of FIFA, made a number of serious errors.
The arrogance of the functionaries knows no bounds
Behind closed doors the FIFA organized a conspiracy against the head of the private control Commission with the aim to get rid of it. The ethics Committee although the beginning of the investigation in relation to Infantino, eventually acquitted him. But an unpleasant taste remains:
Ethicists lost its independence from the International Federation, because in accordance with the new regulations of FIFA in its composition at any time can be entered by new members — i.e. representatives of the persons it must supervise. The reaction Infantino was like a sneer, when he afterwards appeared in public with one of football functionaries, which in the course of a corruption scandal in the ranks of FIFA is wanted by the United States Department of justice, and his arrest warrant.
The arrogance of the functionaries knows no bounds. Infantino wants to make FIFA a “hybrid” UN and multi-billion dollar concern. And the President of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach (Thomas Bach) apparently considers the IOC and is as a peacekeeping organization, and travels in the status of a diplomat around the world. The IOC has some connection with a scandal around the state programme for the support of doping in Russia.
The end of the Olympic ideals
In reality, the Olympic monopolist can no longer ensure “clean” games, and to protect honest athletes do not use doping, cheating by rivals. However, the participants of the Olympic games, in fact, the IOC is providing billions of dollars in profits do not receive direct financial support on his part. These funds are distributed among numerous lower sports organizations, many of which are corrupt and poorly managed. And how many will desire to pay athletes is unknown.
On the one hand, the IOC celebrates the Olympic spirit, appealing to values like high achievement, fair play and understanding between different peoples. On the other hand, his actions in no way correspond to these ideals. In the cities hosting the Olympic games, the IOC often plays an important role in the development of urban infrastructure and thereby, as, for example, in Rio de Janeiro, responsible for the uncontrolled growth of costs of preparing the Games due to poor money management. According to experts at Oxford University, final cost of implementing the Olympic projects exceeds the initial average of 156%.
No upgrade, anyway
Thus, the international Olympic Committee is undergoing a severe crisis of confidence. Price “reform agenda,” proclaimed Bach, close to zero. More and more cities are refusing to take part in the struggle for the right to host the Olympics. At stake is the business model of the organization of the Games. Opposition to the Olympics has ceased to be destiny of small groups, becoming “mainstream”. People are abandoning Games, which only “eats” huge resources without bringing any real benefit. Critics point to the fact that the Games in recent years are in countries with authoritarian management style, mired in corruption.
FIFA also has been no reform. The self-proclaimed representatives of national federations, it can be considered a failure. Infantino strategy is only to expand geography of carrying out of major tournaments like the world Championships in order to earn more money and to distribute them among the persons to ensure its continued stay in power. At the same time and were introduced a serious risk-management; and has not been increased investment in the development of necessary systems for monitoring compliance with universal rules.
Thus, major international sport organizations are still in dire need of reform. The concentration of all power in the hands of a very limited number of persons should be disturbed; strict control by attracting professional experts in the management structure, as well as truly independent observers — these are just some of the urgently needed measures. If the international Federation and in the future will demonstrate the commitment to self-reform, then perhaps the correct thing would be to break their monopoly and create an alternative organization that could compete with them.
