** Many events across football world over the past seven days have raised more questions than answers. Or, perhaps, just one question in many spheres: Why?

Take Michel Platini, for a start: He voted for Qatar to host the World Cup in the summer of 2022 then, having done that, insisted it could not be staged in the Gulf in the summer and should be switched to the winter.

Why . . . if Platini had been opposed to a summer World Cup inQatardid he vote that way?

Take Theo Zwanziger: he was handed the task of overseeing the final stages of the FIFA reform process. Last Thursday he was wheeled out to explain the present state of affairs and rose unwisely to the bait of a sceptical reporter’s question.

Why . . . is Zwanziger holding on to his reform-guide job when, as a European delegate, he is doing the splits with a foot in both UEFA and FIFA camps?

Take Mark Pieth: he has threatened regularly to walk away from the reform process if his recommendations were not all adopted. Most of them have been diluted or filibustered.

Why . . . is he still hanging on?

Take Lydia Nsekera and her sisters: last year she was co-opted as the first woman on the FIFA exco. A formal election is scheduled for Congress. Suddenly the exco, initially resistant to a female arriviste, decided to co-opt two more women in addition to the electee.

Why . . . did Asia and Africa see a mutually convenient opportunity to raise their own exco representation compared withEuropewhich has no candidate to call its own?

Take China’s Zhang Jilong: as acting president of the Asian confederation he sits in the FIFA exco. Not for much longer.

Why . . . did he leave it so late before quitting the Asian confederation presidential race?

Take Rio Ferdinand: recalled by England (to Sir Alex Ferguson’s extreme displeasure) but preferring to maintain his rest cure on a return flight to Qatar to talk over the San Marino game for Aljazeera.

Why . . . did he want to arouse the aggro which will greet him on every away ground from now to the end of the season?

Finally, take the media (for the sake of balance): the first two questions at Blatter’s FIFA exco press conference came from reporters who had clearly not been listening. Another, writing later, displayed amnesia over what had or had not had been said.

Why . . . does the fourth estate [ref: Edmund Burke]  let itself down when issues are out there and the people with the answers are, for once, fronting up?

 

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