WORLD CUP DRAW: VIDEO ACCUSES FIFA OF MANIPULATING LABELS

The controversy surrounding the draw for the 2014 World Cup, with allegations of favoritism towards certain countries, particularly France, led to conspiracy theories. The Spanish press, in particular, raised suspicions about the integrity of the draw, suggesting it was a hoax orchestrated by FIFA Secretary General Jérôme Valcke.

Based on a video, Spanish media speculated that Valcke had ample time to manipulate the labels with the names of the teams under his desk, leading to an allegedly rigged draw. Skeptics pointed out that after the drawing of the first ball (Brazil’s), the other 31 balls ended up in Valcke’s hands. Each time, after opening the ball on camera, Valcke’s hands briefly disappeared behind his desk before revealing the small label with the country’s name.

While these claims fueled general paranoia about the draw’s fairness, the mode of operation was criticized. Critics argued that such a procedure should be reviewed in the future to avoid any perception of manipulation. However, it was considered highly unlikely that such a crude manipulation of the draw had occurred, and if it were to happen, it would likely be done more discreetly in the future.

Ibrahim Sannie

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