Every sport has its scandals. Football is different. With the 2010-11 season over, now is the time to look back on the ups and downs of a tumultuous season. Like every other season, this one too has had its fair share of controversies and scandals with players and even FIFA being shrouded with several damaging allegations.
These scandals are often the centre of all news stories with the media giving these scandals intense scrutiny as they try their best to milk out all the juice from the latest scandal. It gives the media great news and they take full advantage of these scandals by focusing all their attention on them.
Here is a look at the top five scandals of the 2010-11 season.
Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney has never been an extremely popular man and when news about him being infidel to his wife, Coleen Rooney emerged, it did his popularity no good. And to make matters worse, as if that could happen, his wife was pregnant when he cheated on her.
These allegations emerged at the start of the 2010-11 season, following a disastrous World Cup for England’s start striker and for the entire team and happened at a time when he was struggling to find form.
It was widely reported that Rooney carried on an affair with call girl, Jennifer Thompson, when his wife was pregnant with the couple’s first child and he went as far as flaunting her in front of others.
This even wasn’t the first time he was accused of having being involved with prostitutes. He admitted to doing the same back in 2004.
The media always loves a good scoop and Rooney’s latest scandal gave the tabloids plenty to talk about and as a result Rooney was under heavy media scrutiny. His poor form at that time only escalated matters for him.
But despite the scandal his wife decided to stick with him.
Ryan Giggs
From one Manchester United star to another Manchester United legend. After Rooney’s turn under the scrutiny of the media, it was Giggs’ turn to be under intense focus after reports of his affair with Imogen Thomas came out in the open.
Despite a super-injunction order that restrained the name of the player from being released, Giggs’ name eventually came out in the open. His name initially came out in the open thanks to a Twitter user and was later told in the Parliament.
Giggs had always maintained a picture of being a great family man and this allegation have damaged his reputation, but not as a player.
These allegations came to light just before the titanic UEFA Champions League final which United eventually lost 3-1. Ahead of the match clash there was huge talk about whether the scandal would affect Giggs’ performance in the final. In the end Giggs performed just like most of his teammates, ordinarily.
This scandal should not take away Giggs’ achievements as a player but it has put the legend under huge scrutiny and is status as a model husband and father will take a huge hit as a result of this affair with Thomas.
FIFA Bribery Scandal
When Qatar was awarded the bid for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, it surprised many. Here was a country with no prior experience of hosting a top quality international competition, a country with no footballing history and with a team that lies somewhere in the oblivion of the FIFA rankings. This added with the fact that the temperatures were going to be searing hot and with the fact that none of the stadiums were actually in place made it a peculiar choice indeed.
Recently reports emerged that Qatar might have bribed their way into winning the bid, which in many ways understandable. As a result of these allegations, FIFA Vice President, Jack Warner and the President of Asian Football Federation, Mohammed bin Hammam was suspended from their respective posts.
Further information incriminating Qatar came up when FIFA General Secretary, Jerome Valcke, stated in his e-mail to Warner that Qatar had indeed bought the World Cup. It is believed that Warner demanded that an education facility be built in his country and Nicolas Leoz of Paraguay asked for a honorary knighthood in exchange for their votes. These allegations of bribery and deceit have shrouded the location of the 2022 World Cup into doubt with fears that Qatar might not eventually host the World Cup.
The allegations that hit centre stage in May 2011 affected Hammam’s bid to become FIFA President.
As such it was the FIFA has been extremely unpopular among fans and this latest disgraceful episode will go great lengths in further strengthening the hatred against football’s highest body.
Sepp Blatter's Unopposed Election for FIFA Presidency
One reason for the heavy hatred against FIFA is down to the fact that Sepp Blatter is an extremely hated figure mainly because of his frustrating stand against goal line technology. We all know that goal line technology will massively improve the game and make it much fairer. But Blatter still remains against it and so the game is riddled with refereeing gaffes that affect many teams.
He has been the President of FIFA since 1998 and was set to contest the elections against Mohammed bin Hammam in the 2011 elections.
When allegations against bin Hammam came up, he was suspended and was forced to withdraw from the FIFA Presidential elections. Despite a late attempt from the English FA, Blatter ran unopposed for the presidency and won to become the president of FIFA for a fourth time.
The fact that he ran unopposed is farcical in itself not to mention how ridiculous it is. Football remains the world’s most popular sport and yet it is unwilling to embrace technology which will only improve the game for the better. The reluctance to accept goal line technology is largely due to Blatter and I feel it is safe to say that the game hasn’t progressed much under the reign of Blatter.
The ideal setting would have been to delay the elections till a suitable contender was found instead of conducting this charade, a voting process when the result was pre-determined and when the contender was just one person.
This is further proof of how deep the rot truly is in football’s highest governing body and is an indicator of how much work needs to be done to restore the pride of the association and turn them from laughing stocks to a respectable and reputable body.
Richard Keys and Andy Gray
Richard Keys and Andy Gray thought that their microphones were switched off. Harmless mistake? Not quite as their comments on female lineswoman, Sian Massey landed them in hot water and eventually cost them their jobs at Sky Sports.
The two went on to pass sexist remarks about Massey that ridiculed her knowledge of the offside rule. The remarks while not aired, was leaked to the media and provoked huge outrage from several people. It was an extremely unprofessional act from the two presenters and one that cost them to lose their jobs.
These comments were highly unprofessional from the two of them and once again brought up the issue of sexism in sports. Their comments were a blatant insult against Massey. The two of them were on the receiving end of some heavy criticism for their comments.
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