World Cup Vote to Test FIFA's Anti-Corruption Reforms
*By Michael Teich*
FIFA, the organization that runs world soccer, can move past its shady history of bribery and corruption when its members vote Wednesday on which country will host the 2026 World Cup, said Buzzfeed investigative reporter Ken Bensinger.
The finalists include Morocco, which would be only the second African country to host international soccer's quadrennial championship, and a united North American bid by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
“It will be a massive test for FIFA,” said Bensinger, author of Red Card: How the U.S Blew the Whistle on the World's Biggest Sports Scandal. “It’s pretty obvious that the U.S is the choice. If FIFA selects Morocco, we might have a stinking sensation that things might not be cleaned up yet.”
The vote, to take place on the eve of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, will be the first under new rules established after the soccer world was rocked three years ago when U.S. investigators revealed generations of FIFA executives were involved in bribery schemes spanning decades.
Since the scandal, Bensinger said, FIFA has taken promising steps toward fixing its problems and improving its reputation, including adding women to the executive board for the first time and becoming more transparent about its voting procedures. This is the first time the World Cup will be awarded by a vote of all member organizations, not a small cadre of FIFA executives.
“Sports leagues that are transparent, not only do they avoid the scandal, but they also make more money,” Bensinger said. “Being transparent, being capitalist is good for the sport and good for its stakeholders, the fans, for everybody.”
For full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/world-cup-vote-may-signal-how-much-fifas-changed).
From the environment to income inequality, many issues can be seen through the lens of our favorite athletes and teams. In this episode, we’re exploring the world of sports.
Ariel Epstein, Sports Betting host & analyst at Yahoo! Sports, joins Cheddar Bets to share her favorite prop bets and her best picks in the NFC Wild Card Round.
Sponsored by BetMGM
Joe Osborne, Sports Betting Analyst for Odds Shark, dishes out his insight for how to approach a week where some teams choose to sit out their star players.
Sponsored by BetMGM
Retired gymnast Nia Dennis went viral last year after a video of her gymnastics floor routine highlighting Black excellence gained traction on social media. Now the athlete and UCLA graduate is partnering with juice and plant-based foods company Pressed to promote health and wellness in the new year. "They have helped me start this year off strong and start living a healthier lifestyle," she said.
Apple TV+ is in serious talks for the rights to stream MLB games next season, the first foray into sports content for the platform, according to the New York Post. Lee Berke, president and CEO of LHB Sports, sat down with Cheddar to discuss how such a deal might impact the tech giant and the sports content industry. "Quite often with new media platforms one of the quickest ways to create and implement a programming strategy — and actually one of the most expensive ways — is to offer up sports content," Berke noted. "So, with this package available, it puts Apple literally in the game and gives them an opportunity to demonstrate their skills in offering up a major league sport."
Iain MacMillan, Senior Editor BetSided, joins Cheddar Bets to break down betting underdogs in NCAA Basketball Conference play and the favorites for the Wooden Award.
Sponsored by BetMGM
COVID-19 continues to impact the world of sports, and most significantly, the NHL. The world's premier hockey league has postponed a total of 104 games so far this season, and a spike in omicron infections has led to a surge in postponements in recent weeks. This comes after the NHL went dark for six days in December because of a COVID-19 outbreak, and after the league decided not to have its players participate in the 2022 Beijing Olympics so it can use the time to reschedule postponed games. Yahoo Sports NHL reporter Justin Cuthbert joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
