Football- Year 2009: Corruption, overflows and financial abuse

PARIS - corruption scandals, excesses of verbal or physical violence, inappropriate transfers, "Henry Case": 2009 in football, like the precedents years, continued carting its share of excesses of all kinds.

•    Corruption: During November, investigators from the prosecutor in Bochum (Germany) dismantled a vast network of fake bets of over two hundred matches across Europe, including three Champions League, for gains estimated at ten million Euros.
  
     Affecting most countries in Eastern Europe and the West, the matter appears to have ramifications in Asia since it is also the bookmakers of China, where an officer of the federation has recently been arrested.
  
     In Portugal, the scandal of the "Golden Whistle", running since 2004 and concerns an alleged influence peddling on the bottom of prostitution in professional football, continues to splash executives and referees. In April, the Crown appealed the acquittal of the president of Porto.
      
     Misbehaviour: The first incident came in late March from Côte d'Ivoire, with the stampede that left 19 dead and 132 wounded in the stadium of Abidjan during the match against Malawi. The cause: a system of "parallel ticket" that would cause overfilling of the stadium.
  
     On 17 September in Belgrade, a supporter of Toulouse Brice Taton died on the sideline of a meeting, beaten to death by supporters of Partizan before a Europa League game. Facing the excitement generated in Serbia, 14 people have been questioned and an international arrest warrant has been issued against two others.
  
     Finally, November 12, the arrival of the Algerian team in Egypt, while the two teams played against each other, their presence in the World Cup, has led to the stoning of the of visitors’ bus and a serious political crisis between two countries. The game support in Khartoum has been played under very high tension and an investigation was opened by FIFA against Egypt.
      
     Economic Abuse: Real spent 250 million Euros this summer, including 94 for the only Ronaldo. A transfer deemed "indecent" in times of global crisis with the president of the UEFA, Michel Platini who called for "financial fair play". Jose Luis Zapatero has found this amount "excessive", Ronaldo said for his part that they could spend even more for him.
  
     Always in transfers, Chelsea, symbol of the looting of the formation was banned from recruitment on September 3 for having signed a 16 year old from the French club Lens, Kakuta.
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     Skids: Delighted to be qualified for the World Cup, the coach Diego Maradona, once again let his heart speak on October 14. "To those who do not believe in us, they suck me!" He said in the Argentine press. FIFA had no choice but to suspend him two months.
  
     Dissatisfied with the arbitration the semi final of C1, the Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has also screamed his rage against camera on May 6, shouting "this is a p. .. Shame" Live in the eyes of the world . UEFA has given him four games to reflect on the significance of his remarks.
      
    States case: "Heroes" of the “Blue” qualifying for the World Cup with a hand on November 18 against Ireland, Thierry Henry has been at the centre of a controversy well beyond the world of sport.
  
     Accused from all sides of being a cheater, the captain was summoned by the world to justify, apologize, make amends, the highest Irish authorities asking even the match is replayed. The debate saw intervention of figures as diverse as Usain Bolt or Roger Federer. And Henry is now within the scope of an investigation by FIFA.
      
      
  Ennaharonline/ M. O.