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Comment by maccard | Hacker News Reader

> Hard to think of a modern institution as corrupt as fifa

IOC is about the only organisation that comes close to it I think.

In the Dictator's Handbook the authors argued that FIFA and IOC function similar to autocratic dictatorships because there is a small group of people who are essential to power. Therefore it is rational to buy them rather than do the right thing by the fans (who have very little power). As cold as the reasoning is, the explanation stuck with me.

Their suggestion is to open up the power structure, e.g. to all past players/Olympians.

> Therefore it is rational to buy them rather than do the right thing by the fans (who have very little power)

The problem withthis is that FIFA/IOC _rely_ on the athletes, players and countries, but none of those make any money so they _can't_ be bought. The prestige and honor is the reason to compete in the world cup/olympics, and money won't change/fix that. See LIV golf for what happens when you try it.

FIA is getting there as well.

The FIA aren’t as bad (although I might be biased as an F1 fan). They’re certainly really really terrible at optics but at least everyone involved in that is making money out of it and aren’t under the illusion that they’re doing it for the clout.

Interestingly, both FIFA and IOC are headquartered in Switzerland, a country that is ranked by Transparency International as one least corrupt countries in the world… Draw you own conclusions.

Until recently Swiss banks were pretty famously a great place to do the kind of banking needed for global scale corruption. They still sort of are as long as none of the parties have told the bank that they are American.

Switzerland might not be corrupt, but they are fine with enabling it.

One of the least corrupt countries, whose attorney general had secret meetings with Infantino when in charge of an investigation of corruption in FIFA.

The Corruption Perception Index only ranks the public sector.

A common factor seems rather that international sports orgs are often very corrupt. Would be interesting to understand why it happens systematically. Lack of good governance structures must be part of it.

I think fundamental issue is that only people who want power, money or influence get involved at highest levels. For rest operating at grass roots or slightly higher and having local impact is more important. Farther you move from there more power hungry and less passionate about underlying thing the people get.

Oh boy I couldn’t disagree more. Grassroots and local sports is absolutely plagued with politics, favouritism and corruption. Ask anyone who has been on the committee or coaching for their local kids soccer/athletics/hurling (in my case) teams - what goes on is absolutely criminal.

bribery until recently was legal in Switzerland.

Probably the same way it was in Germany: in some foreign countries, where it's the cost of doing business.

Switzerland has an unusually direct democracy, which keeps their house in order. Maybe it's also what allows Switzerland to benefit from crime and corruption without getting infected with the rot.

I will take the Swiss form of governance over any country's or model though.

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