Comment by ericmay | Hacker News Reader

Comment by ericmay | Hacker News Reader

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> Blatant corruption for zero gain that even the Putin's and Xi Jin Pings never attempted.... was when Trump phoned Infantino to drop a red card during the world cup.

FIFA, a largely European organization created by Europeans for a sport that Americans barely care about and in the center of multiple corruption scandals and controversies over the last few decades and you're really going to sit here and try to tell others that the real wakeup call was when Trump made a phone call to ask that a star player who by many respects shouldn't have received a red card over at best a technicality in the first place be reinstated for the good of sport and competition...?

And you're also going to claim that this "level of corruption" is something Vladimir Putin or Xi Jingping and their corrupt authoritarian regimes would never dream of attempting?

I guess Donald Trump's phone call was the real last straw, and something like, idk, 6,500 migrant workers in Qatar dying to construct World Cup facilities is just another day at the anti-corruption office? [1]

I'm going to assume you're being sarcastic...

[1] https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/feb/23/r...

There is a big difference between some sports association being greedy/unethical and elected officials abusing their position of power (especially when they sit in the highest positions and there are zero consequences).

Right, its just we all lose respect and we're real mad when Donald Trump makes a phone call about something that, well you know frankly the American public agreed with, and we don't lose respect or whatever and we're not outraged when that same extremely corrupt organization continues to do greedy, unethical, and corrupt things.

It's astounding that European governments would never do corrupt things. Totally never. And if they did, sorry they only draw the line at influencing FIFA.

Who exactly is talking about goverments? This was a random citizen having the "oh, so this is that rupture they talk about" moment.

Jeez dude. If you have a point to make, just make it. This weird sarcasm is borderline unreadable. Anyway, everyone agrees with you that FIFA is a corrupt cesspool. The fact that Trump found a corrupt counterparty does not make his open and blatant corruption any less, well, corrupt. The point here is that if he’s openly abusing his power for something so trivial, what is he doing behind closed doors?

Sorry my point wasn't clear. Let me state if plainly: the OP's comments and points about corruption and Vladimir Putin and Xi Kingpin somehow wouldn't stoop to this level of corruption are fucking stupid.

Yes, exactly that. And precisedly for that reason.

FIFA was corrupt. Infantino took it on another level, making it massively more corrupt then before. Then he created a peace price which combined corruption with astonishing lack of self respect and mockery.

And then Trump called over the red card, which contrasted with everything before as yes another never seen before level of corruption.

But second, FIFA is not an European institution. It is worldwide org and non European members are large contributors to the corruption. The middle east and afrikan members do like it corrupt, it suits their political goals.

> And you're also going to claim that this "level of corruption" is something Vladimir Putin or Xi Jingping and their corrupt authoritarian regimes would never dream of attempting?

Honestly, it even seems so. Trying to directly influence a soccer match, publically changing rules while not even understanding them is a new level.

Moreover, there is no reason to think Trump is less corrupt then Putin or Xi. If anything, he is equally or more corrupt.

A better way to think about it is imagine that FIFA is a massive, roaring inferno of corruption and Europeans are ignoring it and then Donald Trump walks by and tosses a Mcdonalds wrapper on the inferno and it grows every so slightly and now all of a sudden everyone is concerned. Sorry don't care. Most Americans agreed with him doing that as well since the foul was stupid.

There are things worthwhile criticizing folks for. Donald Trump is corrupt. So is FIFA. So are numerous European countries and organizations. But equating Trump making this phone call to "some unheard level that Xi Jingping and Vladimir Putin wouldn't dream of attempting" is absolutely absurd sensationalism that is, frankly, anti-intellectual, dishonest, and only serves to instigate flame wars and other such nonsense.

He did not threw "Mcdonalds wrapper on the inferno". He shit on it and took a video of the shit and then threw a grenade on thr said shit. The peace prize would be the "Mcdonalds wrapper". The red card thing was huge additional escalation.

The corruption about who gets the championship and who rips of who is bad. Changing outcomes is entirely different thing.

> But equating Trump making this phone call to "some unheard level that Xi Jingping and Vladimir Putin wouldn't dream of attempting" is absolutely absurd sensationalism

Neither Putin nor Xi would do that phone call. Nor would they proudly brag about making such phone call. That is fairly safe guess. It is not sensationalism. That is just safe guess based on those people previous publically known actions.

It is dishonest and anti-intelectual to pretend otherways, frankly. Putin killed more people in Ukraine. He is worst in that regard. But we are talking about who is more corrupt or who would be insecure enough to call to change red card.

I just can't help but just sit here and laugh at these things.

> Putin killed more people in Ukraine. He is worst in that regard. But we are talking about who is more corrupt or who would be insecure enough to call to change red card.

You're adding an additional detail here that wasn't mentioned in the OP, but there is no doubt about it that both Xi and Vlad would do the same thing, or they might just have someone killed or their family threatened, or sure they might not care about FIFA but didn't Russia under Putin run a state sponsored doping program with his tiny ego and huge corruption orientation? But sure, yea, neither of these guys would ever do something as corrupt as call FIFA and encourage them to overcome a questionable at best call so therefore everyone in Europe is so outraged about Donald Trump and whatever.

This entire conversation and this statement about how all Europeans allegedly feel is nothing but sensationalism.

When did Putin or Xi had people killed over soccer? I mean, you want to compare that, murder streak in pacific is going on purely for the "makes me feel more manly" reasons is not better.

Yes Russia run doping program. It is not the only country with regular doping scandals. And yet, they did not had referee change result so that they player can go againts another team.

> therefore everyone in Europe is so outraged about Donald Trump and whatever.

And greenland. Dont forget greenland. And Ukraine, dont forget how USA took Putin side in negotiations. Or tried to blame it for missile shortage after Iran war. Which leads to oil prices. And trade war. And insults. And lies of epic proportions.

Most of Trumps corruption is Americas internal thing. He is enriching himself at the expense of his country. That is not something Europeans would watch that closely. But, they watch the world cup.

> When did Putin or Xi had people killed over soccer?

When did Donald Trump kill people over soccer? What are you talking about?

> Yes Russia run doping program. It is not the only country with regular doping scandals. And yet, they did not had referee change result so that they player can go againts another team.

Yes, the doping scandal is much worse.

> And greenland. Dont forget greenland.

The more people complain about it the more I'm starting to side with the US on this lol.

> And Ukraine, dont forget how USA took Putin side in negotiations.

Yep and don't forget how America is still assisting Ukraine today, we were the ones rushing missiles and supplies to Ukraine and shouting from the rooftops that an invasion was coming while the EU sent helmets, well-wishes cards, and European leaders continued to public state nothing was happening.

> Or tried to blame it for missile shortage after Iran war.

Blame what for missile shortages?

> Which leads to oil prices. And trade war. And insults. And lies of epic proportions.

Ok but none of that has anything to do with FIFA or whatever this nonsense OP is about.

> Most of Trumps corruption is Americas internal thing. He is enriching himself at the expense of his country. That is not something Europeans would watch that closely. But, they watch the world cup.

No, believe me, they watch it very closely. In fact, it's even more important than news in Europe.

Literally you brought up killings in "Xi and Vlad would do the same thing, or they might just have someone killed or their family threatened".

> The more people complain about it the more I'm starting to side with the US on this lol.

Like what, people complain about USA trying to invade Greenland and therefore it is OK for US to do so? If people just let it happen, then you would be against it. But since they did not forgot in few months, you are pro-invasion?

Is that what you have in mind?

> we were the ones rushing missiles and supplies to Ukraine

USA is refusing to give missies EU literally paid for. USA stopped military assistance after Trump took power.

> EU sent helmets, well-wishes cards, and European leaders continued to public state nothing was happening.

You are lying. Majority of help is from European countries while USA tries to push Ukraine to unconditionally accept Russian demands.

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