評論
打印
FIFA and corruption
國際足聯與腐敗
Hear no evil
非禮勿聽
Football's governing body is struggling to silence its critics
足球管理機構努力平息批評
AUTOCRATIC Russia and sweltering Qatar won the rights to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups fair and square, after a generally clean and honest bidding process. There might have been dodgy dealing, perhaps even criminal behaviour, on the part of a few of those involved—but not enough to justify rerunning the bids.
專制的俄羅斯和悶熱的卡塔爾，光明正大的贏得了2018與2022年世界杯的主辦權。這個過程，總體上是清白的，誠信的。雖然有些參與者難免有些小動作，甚至某些地方牽涉犯罪，但瑕不掩瑜，重選是沒有必要的。
That, at least , is according to FIFA, world football's governing body. On November 13th it described the results of an internal investigation into the bidding process as having mostly cleared itself and the host countries of wrongdoing. Nevertheless, on November 18th it said that it was handing the report from that probe over to Swiss authorities because it may have uncovered criminal activity (as yet unspecified).
至少說出此話國際足聯（世界性的足球管理機構）這樣認為。經過一次國際調查，國際足聯于11月13日從競標過程內部調查結果描述來看撇清自己和主辦國的嫌疑。。不過到了11月18日，國際足聯又改口說，它將把報告提交瑞士當局，因為報告中的內容可能涉嫌犯罪（但未做出具體說明）。
The investigation into the bidding process had been led by Michael Garcia, an American lawyer, who submitted over 400 pages of findings to FIFA's ethics committee in September. His report was then reviewed by Hans-Joachim Eckert, a German judge who heads the committee's adjudicatory chamber (pictured right, with Mr Garcia). It was not published, despite pleas from some FIFA officials and Mr Garcia himself. Instead Mr Eckert released his own summary, which Mr Garcia has described as “incomplete and erroneous”. Two whistle-blowers have since said that Mr Eckert tarnished and misrepresented them. Mr Garcia has appealed against Mr Eckert's interpretation of his report—to another FIFA committee.
主持此次調查的是美國律師邁克爾·加西亞（圖中左者），隨后他于九月，向國際足聯道德委員會提交了400余頁的報告（下文簡稱“加西亞報告”）。德國法官，同時也是道德委員會裁決小組主席的漢斯-約阿希姆·埃克特（圖中右者）審閱了報告。雖然國際足聯一些官員和加西亞本人均要求公開報告內容，但最終亮相的只是一份經?？颂刂厥龅恼ㄏ挛暮喎Q“埃克特摘要”）。這份摘要，加西亞說它“不完整，且與報告有出入”。摘要發布以來，有兩位舉報人稱埃克特損害了他們的名譽，并曲解了他們的話。加西亞已就埃里克摘要向國際足聯另一委員會提出申訴。
Ever since Russia and Qatar won the hosting rights in 2010, there have been allegations of funny business. Several FIFA officials involved have since stepped down under a cloud. In June the Sunday Times, a British newspaper, published e-mails detailing lavish campaigning by Mohamed bin Hammam, a disgraced former FIFA bigwig from Qatar, ahead of the vote for his country. Lord Triesman, who led England's bid for the 2018 tournament, has said FIFA officials asked him for bribes.
2010年俄卡兩國贏得主辦權以來，丑聞申訴不絕于耳。數名涉事的國際足聯官員在質疑中辭職。英國報紙《星期日泰晤士報》于七月公布了一些電郵，它們形成于卡塔爾勝選之前的一段時間。這些電郵顯示，在名聲不佳的國際足聯前大佬，穆罕默德·本·哈曼主持下，卡塔爾的申辦行為是多么的慷慨。負責英格蘭2018年世界杯申辦工作的特里斯曼勛爵稱，國際足聯官員曾向他索賄。
So it may seem odd that England was the country most harshly criticised by Mr Eckert. Its bid committee had accommodated unethical requests from corrupt FIFA officials, he said. Qatar, too, had committed some violations, but according to Mr Eckert its actions “were, all in all, not suited to compromise the integrity” of the process. Russia was let off the hook, even though investigators had limited access to its documents because the computers its officials used had been destroyed.
既然這樣英格蘭成為埃克特的抨擊對象卻有些說不通。他說，英格蘭配合了國際足聯中害群之馬的不當要求?？ㄋ栯m然同樣存在違規行為，但“總的說來，并未損害”競爭程序的“完整性”。但如果真是國際足聯官員主動索賄，那英格蘭就有些冤枉了。 俄羅斯同樣逃過一劫，雖然調查人員未能接觸到全部的申辦文件，因為彼時使用的電腦已毀壞。
Dismayed by the findings and the lack of transparency, some football officials are daring to peek above the parapet. Mr Eckert's summary was “a joke”, says Greg Dyke, the chairman of England's Football Association. His predecessor, David Bernstein, has called for UEFA, European football's governing body, to boycott the World Cup in protest. Reinhard Rauball, the head of Germany's soccer federation, has suggested that UEFA might leave FIFA if Mr Garcia's full findings are not published.
由于對調查結果和調查過程的透明程度不滿，一些足協官員敢于挑戰權威。英格蘭足協主席格雷格·戴克說，埃里克摘要就是個“笑話”。他的前任大衛·伯恩斯坦，則呼吁歐足聯（歐洲的足球管理機構）抵制世界杯。德國足球聯賽主席萊因哈特·勞巴爾建議歐足聯退出國際足聯，除非后者公開加西亞報告的完整內容。
But a European rebellion seems unlikely. Michel Platini, the head of UEFA, who has himself had to deny allegations of corruption, voted for Qatar. Europe's football associations benefit from hosting World Cup qualifiers and the sponsorship deals that come with playing on the tournament's big stage. Poorer nations are even less likely to challenge FIFA, as they benefit from its handouts. The money sloshing around feeds a perception that at least some of it is used to buy favours or votes.
不過阻力很大。歐足聯主席米夏埃爾·普拉蒂尼當初給卡塔爾投了一票，而他已否認了有關腐敗的指控。歐洲各國足協均有望從舉辦世界杯預選賽中獲益，因為彼時不僅有八方球迷，還能得到不菲的贊助。相對貧困的國家就更不愿意和國際足聯作對了，因為他們能得到救濟。鈔票漫天飛舞，不難想見其中一部分是用于疏通乃至賄選了。
Despite not having read Mr Garcia's report, Sepp Blatter, the 78-year-old head of FIFA, insists his organisation is clean: “If we had anything to hide, we would hardly be taking this matter to the [Swiss authorities].” But the Swiss benefit from FIFA's presence in Zurich. A greater threat may come from the Americans. The FBI is investigating allegations of corruption against FIFA, and Mr Garcia can still recommend cases against individual officials.
雖然沒讀過加西亞報告，但78歲的國際足聯主席尚帕·布拉特堅稱，國際足聯是廉潔的：“要是心中有鬼，我們哪能提交報告（給瑞士當局）呢?！辈贿^，國際足聯總部就設在蘇黎世，而瑞士正受益于此。更大的威脅也許來自美洲：聯邦調查局正就國際足聯腐敗一事展開調查，而加西亞針對官員個人提起訴訟。
After Mr Eckert's summary, FIFA said that “a degree of closure has been reached”. That depends on the sponsors. If they start to abandon FIFA and its World Cup, it will prove wishful thinking.
埃里克摘要之后，國際足聯“放寬了閱讀加西亞報告的限制”。這要看投資者的態度。如果金主們打算拋棄國際足聯，事情就有看頭了。
From the print edition: Intenational
本文原文出自《經濟學人》雜志社 譯者：韋永睿 校對：劉苗苗
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