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Cape Town - Who says expediency and self-interest are commodities of the past within the portals of FIFA following the enforced resignation of long-serving, crafty Sepp Blatter as president of the international soccer organisation a couple of years ago?
Well it was no one who took note of how FIFA last week reacted at its congress in Moscow during the World Cup to its own uncompromising edict prohibiting politicians from interfering and influencing soccer matters.
Instead of suspending, or at least admonishing, the United States for the bumbling actions of its garrulous president Donald Trump in breaching this rule, the congress voted in rewarding the United States with a bulk share of the joint hosting of the 2026 Soccer World Cup with Mexico and Canada over rival bidders Morocco.
Certainly, the joint bid by the American nations looked on merit to be infinitely the more attractive, particularly as all sorts of financial and other problems might need to be tackled in 2026 in view of the fact that an enlarged number of 48 countries instead of the current 32 will be competing at the World Cup for the first time - and it was the 134-65 vote of the member nations and not the executive, as has been the procedure in the past, that made the decision.
Also, USA soccer officials had said they did not associate themselves with Trump's threats - and indeed some claimed they were embarrassed by them!
But it is a moot point what the outcome would have been had FIFA president Gianni Infantino admonished the United States for the odious ranting and action of their country's president and handed out some form of punishment to the supposedly "land of the free and the brave"?
And for those who might not recall Trump's indiscretion, he had threatened there would be reprisals with financial repercussions for those countries who do not support the United States-Canada-Mexico bid.
Then as a follow-up low blow directly linked to Trump, the Nike organisation reneged at the last minute on their sponsorship of boots and other kit to the Iran team at the World Cup in keeping with the widespread boycott and sanctions imposed by the United States president.
"It's not sport, it's not fair," commented Iran's respected former Bafana Bafana and Iran coach, Carlos Queiroz. And who will argue with him - in spite of Iran opening their World Cup campaign by beating Morocco 1-0 with makeshift gear in their opening World Cup match.
Furthermore, there is some considerable degree of irony and mystery to South Africa finally supporting the American bid after SAFA president Danny Jordaan had initially voiced uncompromising support for Morocco - "because they are from Africa and Africa needs a second nation after South Africa in 2010 to stage the World Cup."
It has been said that the South African and Moroccan governments are not on the best of terms. And that could be the reason for the vote somersault. But that's politics, not soccer, isn't it?
