Thetownend.com

Did you lot know that FIFA is a registered charity I believe it is registered in Switzerland and made £2billion tax free."Just bringing boys and girls together,organising schooling and health education,providing the tools to fight poverty and disease-that is the legacy we want to leave,"said Sepp Blatter at the start of the World Cup.So FIFA lawyers dragged a lollipop maker through the courts for calling a sweet"The 2010 Pop".A Port Elizabeth bar owner was threatened with a £4,500 fine for putting a sign up outside his hotel and pub saying "Welcome to the World Cup".A restaurant owner was threatened with jail for writing"2010"on a football and putting it in his window."They tried to take advantage" FIFA said.
                                                "FICK FUFA"
                                       [Unofficial T-Shirt being sold in S.A.]

thank you captain obvious

He has a point tbf. For a registered charity to act like they do is outrageous.

Yep it's disgusting really.

no doubt but it's not exactly a big secret

FIFA is a registered charity?! What? I didn't know that and I'm fucking disgusted.

This.

Most big companies are these days...it allows for dodgy shit.

I don't know what propaganda you've been reading leefer, but most big companies are definitely not charities! ;)

EDIT: I also find nothing anywhere detailing Fifa is a charity, so someone please point me in the direction of evidence. :)

http://www.internationaltaxreview.com/?Page=9&PUBID=210&ISS=25611&SID=725859&SM=&SearchStr=fifa%20charity

Fifa is very much a company, not a charity, with a whole host of subsiduaries:

FIFA Travel GmbH Zurich
Early Warning System GmbH Zurich
FIFA Transfer Matching System
FIFA Beach Soccer S.L.
2010 FIFA World Cup Ticketing (Pty) Ltd
FIFA World Cup South Africa (Pty) Ltd
FIFA Marketing & TV AG
FIFA Media AG
FIFA Marketing & TV Deutschland GmbH

2009 financial report here: http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/administration/01/18/31/86/fifa_fr09_en.pdf

I can't find any evidence anywhere of FIFA being a charity, although it does say it in that article, but I'm sorry, that's not really evidence, especially when they turn masses of profit, which in and of itself is not something a charity is permitted to do.

I do see they run many registered charities, so maybe it's that, but either way, they're based in Switzerland, they don't have to be a charity to avoid tax no?

I could be well wide of the mark, but don't get me wrong, I'm not defending FIFA, I hate the cunts, I just like to form my own opinions rather than get told. Know what I mean? :D

EDIT: Thanks Samdy. It just seemed too sensationalist.

Very much a company....and a registered charity which means by law you can/should only make a minimal profit.....which as Noble points out rightly is a disgrace.

If you like to form your own opinions BS where do you get your information from if you dont like to be told.I get a lot of my gossip from The Observer column---"SAID AND DONE"[[email protected]]

What else could FIFA be other than a charity / not for profit organisation? It's sole purpose is to organise football on a world level and put the profits it makes back in to the game (I'm not saying they spend the money wisely, just what the principle is). It can't be a company as there aren't shareholders looking to make a profit.

It's a bit unfair putting the blame solely on FIFA for the clamp down on non-licensed businesses trying to cash in on the WC. The South African authorities have to take a lot of it for their over reaction to minor things, they're going too far in an attempt to keep FIFA happy.

FIFA is one of the most corrupt and money hungry organisations in the world.

Based on?

fact.. go read a few books on football corruption

No need to - you used the "f" word, so I'm convinced.

Having said that, I do think its something I don't know much about.  Could you recommend me some specific books to read on the subject?

Foul!: The Secret World of FIFA: Bribes, Vote Rigging and Ticket Scandals

The author David Yallop wrote a good book - 'How they stole the Game', all about FIFA and especially about Blatter.

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/sport/issues/story/0,,676083,00.html

http://www.yallop.com/howtheystolethegame.aspx

The book by Andrew Jennings is superb. Check out his website :

http://transparencyinsport.org/

Thank you all - I'll get reading.

Not so fucking sarcastic now are you? You fucking cunt.

I wasn't being sarcastic.  I don't know much about FIFA.  I appreciate the recommended books, which I will try and get hold of.  Originally, I was just asking if there was any basis for what was quite a strong accusation.

Of course, this will not change your mind about me one bit.  How will I sleep at night?

I'm not sure our own FA is that much better than FIFA. The main problem at least is the same, they've forgotten what the game is about and are only interested in what they can get out of it with no regard for the fans. The amount of money they've pissed away trying to win the WC is shocking, ticket allocations for the actual fans are insulting and so on.

Whilst I think he is a complete cunt, I'd really like to see Alan Sugar get the vacant FA Chairman job. I reckon he'd do a great job and would make major improvements to the way the game is run for the benefit of everyone. Fuck all chance of it happening though, the old boys club will see to that.

quote author=jonny72 link=topic=40008.msg855245#msg855245 date=1279728579]
I'm not sure our own FA is that much better than FIFA. The main problem at least is the same, they've forgotten what the game is about and are only interested in what they can get out of it with no regard for the fans. The amount of money they've pissed away trying to win the WC is shocking, ticket allocations for the actual fans are insulting and so on.

Whilst I think he is a complete cunt, I'd really like to see Alan Sugar get the vacant FA Chairman job. I reckon he'd do a great job and would make major improvements to the way the game is run for the benefit of everyone. Fuck all chance of it happening though, the old boys club will see to that.
[/quote]

If we are talking closer to home, they had a programme on five live last night about the future of English football.  Most people, including representatives of the FA, seemed to be in agreement that the structure of our national game needs to change radically.  All except the Premier League representative, who was advocating a very different approach - even defending the ruling that an 18 year old from overseas brought into an acedemy for three years counts as "home-grown" by the age of 21.  I am no expert in this field, but it strikes me that the Premier League agenda wins out - and they don't give a shit about the National team.

So this wasn't sarcastic then? Admit it, you just can't help it.

I disagree that the FA are as bad as FIFA. Yes, there is the 'old farts' brigade that definately needs sorting out, and the influence that the PL have got, but they are not as corrupt as FIFA are. Read the books mentioned. Havelange and Blatter cannot take legal action because of one thing...they tell the truth of how Havelange and Blatter have 'brought' their way to the Presidency.

There is so many dodgy things about FIFA, where do you start? From all the bribes that FIFA officials took, which has been looked into after the collapse of ISL, FIFA's marketing agency. 1mSFR was accidentally paid direct to FIFA in error, when it should've been sent direct to the FIFA official. There is speculation that this person was Havelange, to the fact that people like Jack Warner, who is corrupt as they come, and will be one of 24 people who will decide who gets the 2018 World Cup. Jack Warner, who is head of the Trinidadian FA, sold all the tickets which Trinidad got for qualifying for the 2006 WC, via his own travel company, at over inflated prices, which is against FIFA rules.

What punishment did Warner gets? A slap on the wrists, which considering Warner made approx $1m from the ticket sales is a meaningless punishment.

Also, after promising the Trinidad players a bonus for qualifying and reneged on it.
This is the kind of people that Blatter relies on to stay in power.

http://transparencyinsport.org/Racist_Jack_Warner/kick_racism_out_of_football.html

Good shout SO69 but as with everything else in life we are powerless to do anything about it.Can we?

I like to think the England football team's shoddy performances are a subtle and peaceful protest against this corruption.

It was great to see France join us in this campaign of action.

Until all sporting organisation like FIFA, UEFA and the IOC, gets out of Switzerland with their secrecy laws, you are quite right there is not much we can do about it, as the 'FIFA family' do like their backhanders, and the Swiss do their best to hide any dodgy transactions.

I see our old mate Jack has been cleared by the FIFA ethics committee again :

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/aug/15/said-and-done-blatter-fifa

Welcome to the wacky world of Sepp Blatter!

His latest idea is that in the World Cup group games,draws will be scrapped by going
straight to a penalty shoot-out after 90mins if scores are level.

The U.S.A. reluctantly embraced the draw just for FIFA.....

I see our mate Jack still won't paid the Trinidad players their World Cup bonuses from 2006...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2010/sep/19/unpaid-trinidadian-world-cup-fifa