Background Information

Headquarters: Zurich, Switzerland

Mission: “Develop the game, touch the world and build a better future”

Hosts 15 tournaments including Olympic Soccer and World Cup

209 associations

Current President Joseph Blatter

World cup At least 7 years in advance 3.18 million attended 64 matches in 2010 (South Africa)

Crisis Timeline

Bribery allegations associated with Qatar 2022 electionRecent concerns, moving tournament

Email by Jerome Valcke, FIFA second in command

Bribery in presidential election

Qatar 2022

FIFA executives accused of taking $1.5 million to vote for Qatar to host 2022 World Cup

English and French biases in voteVested economic interest

Qatar “bought” nomination

Email surfaced by Jerome Valcke

“bought” suggested World Cup up for highest bid

Qatar’s reaction

Current concerns (President) Heat (122 degree summers)Alcohol

Conservative culture

Presidential Election

Mohamed bin Hammam challenges incumbent

Bin Hammam and VP Jack Warner visit Caribbean

Accused of bribing Caribbean soccer leaders $40,000 to back bin Hammam’s presidential bid.

Verbal Response

Qatar 2022Qatar Soccer Association-denied

Accusations “serious and baseless” “remain unproven because they are false”

Blatter-will investigateBin Hammam

“FIFA is not corrupt. We are victims of the popularity of the game”

Consistent statement by FIFA Investigated accusations and stood behind decision

Verbal Response

Qatar “bought nomination” Organizers quickly denied implicationValcke-clarified use of the word “bought”

“I have at no time made, or was intending to make any reference to the purchase of votes”

Blatter “great damage to the reputation of FIFA”

FIFA: acknowledged email, denied implications throughout

Verbal Response

Presidential ElectionBin Hammam-proceedings were unjustBlazer-much more evidence incriminating bin

Hammam

TweetsConsultation for Qatar 2022@FIFAcom @FIFAmedia

Nonverbal Response

Qatar 2022Suspended several Executive committee members

BriberyWarner and bin Hammam suspendedWarner later resignedBin Hammam: life ban from FIFA

Media Response

Media Reputation Analysis by Reputation metrics (May 4-30)Overall severely judgmentalSerious issue with substantial reputation implications

ExamplesEgyptian news- very critical of BlatterESPN, AP-unbiased

Stakeholder Response

Email Qatar association-angry Qatari citizens-angry Moving World Cup

European Football German Football-concerned

Bribery Asian Football Confederation-upset with proceedings with

bin Hammam

Other Tickets for 2014 World Cup in Brazil shows no effect Twitter hack that talked about corruption

Recommendations

Media Media training/contract One message One or two spokespeople

Ethics Training Bribery clause to contract

Violation results in termination

Define

Improved whistleblower system Report unethical leadership/situations without fear

Stakeholder/Image recovery Improved accountability Let stakeholders voice concerns

Location analysis pre-vote Possible outcomes

Political, climate, cultural