In a statement titled “Red Card for FIFA”, independent senator Nick Xenophon has urged the federal government to ask for a refund from FIFA of the A$45.6 million spent on the failed bid to host the 2022 World Cup, saying the bid could not succeed because of corruption within football’s world governing body.

In a statement issued on Monday the lawmaker has demanded FIFA “refunds” the money the country spent on its unsuccessful bid for the 2022 World Cup, following the corruption scandal plaguing the global soccer governing body.

Xenophon said Australia should refrain from spending taxpayer dollars on future bids pending the completion of investigations into FIFA.

It appears corrupt and highly questionable behavior goes to the core of FIFA. Australia spent almost $46 million on a bid we were never in the running for because bribes were being taken for votes.

Now we hear that bribes may have been made to fix the result for who will head up FIFA.

Mohamed bin Hammam, president of the Asian Football Confederation, was instrumental in delivering the 2022 World Cup to Qatar, but had denied there was any wrongdoing in connection with the bid.

Bin Hammam and Jack Warner were suspended on Sunday while an investigation is made into further allegations that they offered bribes in return for supporting Hammam in the FIFA presidential election.

The fact that corruption appears to be so pervasive in FIFA makes you wonder whether we should continue to invest millions of dollars in bids for events we’ll never even be in the running to win.

Hammam probably knew there was trouble coming his way and decided to pull out of the presidential race taking place in Zurich this Wednesday.

One thing is for sure and that’s the fact that FIFA needs to be hung upside down by the ankles and have the lining of its pockets emptied.

[Source: Reuters]