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
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