Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Euro Cup 2012 corruption scorecard update

Just, what, two days after figuring the Poland-Ukraine team to be in the best (or perhaps “least bad”) position to bag Euro Cup 2012 hosting privileges, a nice new low was reached in Polska football corruption.

State prosecutors representing “several hundred” clients in the town of Czestochowa investigated Poland FA (PZPN) HQ under auspices of a case involving undelivered World Cup tickets.

In short, Czestochowians paid for tickets to Team Poland’s matches in Germany and never got them, thereby giving prosecutor Stefan Rozmuszcz and his guys leave to search PZPN headquarters and ticket distributors.

According to Polish media, the national government is reportedly ready to move in and assume emergency management of PZPN. What’s stopping them? The joint bid with Ukraine to host the 2012 Cup. Apparently, a match fixing scandal which included charges brought against at least fourteen officials and referees is not thought to hurt the bid’s chances.

Meanwhile, in Hungary, sportswriters are still simmering and locals are still rolling eyes over the money “issues” happening here with Hungary’s most well-known and top-division dominant club Ferencváros and newly promoted Vác.

Local daily Nemzeti Sport (“National Sport” in mirror translation) claims that the only thing needed to keep Vác in the Hungarian championship is the Ft. 99 million (approximately $459,000/€363,000/£248,000), the figure by which the club somehow went over budget.

Only $459,000? What do you think, Bob? Wanna sponsor this poor edge city squad that has only now managed to crawl into the championship? Just imagine, WorldCupBlog.org’s very own franchise…

Meanwhile, WorldCupBlog Poland is going to put Italy back in top position to land Euro Cup hosting privileges. But there’s still plenty of time for scandals and fun before December
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