There have been a lot of controversies, scandals and football scams over the years in the football community.
And here are the top 10 Infamous Soccer Scandals of all time-
THE FIFA CORRUPTION SCANDAL 2015
The FIFA Corruption Scandal was a major controversy involving the international governing body of association football, FIFA, and their president Sepp Blatter. It began in May 2015 when several high-ranking officials were arrested by Swiss police, and a United States Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation was opened into corruption within FIFA.
The DOJ alleged that over a 24-year period, bribes and kickbacks amounting to over $150 million had been paid to secure the hosting rights for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. The scandal has resulted in the suspension or resignation of several top FIFA officials, including Blatter and his long-time deputy, Jérôme Valcke.
In addition, several individuals and entities have been charged with corruption by the DOJ, including then-FIFA Vice President Jack Warner and the president of the Confederation of North, Central American, and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF), Jeffrey Webb.
FIFA has also been required to implement a wide-ranging reform package, including term limits, greater transparency, and the introduction of an independent ethics committee.
This infamous football scandal has been widely condemned by political leaders and sports commentators and has had a significant impact on FIFA’s reputation. It has also led to calls for FIFA to be completely overhauled and for new leadership to be installed.
CALCIOPOLI REFEREE SCANDAL 2006
The Calciopoli Referee scandal was a 2006 Italian football scandal, in which several Italian football referees, Federation officials, and team managers were accused of rigging predictions of football matches in the top Italian leagues.
The scandal was uncovered by Italian police in May 2006, and it led to a major re-organization of the league, with major repercussions for teams, referees, and players.
The infamous scandal was centered around a telephone tapping operation by Italian police, which uncovered conversations between certain referees and Italian Football Federation (FIGC) officials regarding the outcome of certain matches. The conversations suggested that certain referees had been instructed to fix the outcome of certain matches, by favoring certain teams.
The scandal led to the suspension and eventual expulsion of several teams from Serie A, the top Italian football league.
Teams such as Juventus, Fiorentina, and Lazio were all penalized and relegated to a lower league. Several teams, including Milan and Internazionale, were also hit with points deductions, which severely affected their title chances.
The scandal also resulted in a number of suspensions and bans for referees, coaches, and players. A total of 21 referees were suspended by the FIGC and many of them, including Massimo De Santis, were eventually handed life bans. Several players were also handed suspensions, including former Juventus and Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro.
The scandal had a major impact on Italian football, with the league being re-structured and new rules being implemented to prevent a similar occurrence in the future. This infamous football scandal also caused a huge loss of credibility for the Italian league, with some teams struggling to attract fans and sponsors.
It remains one of the biggest football scandals to affect Italian football and its effects are still felt today.
THE INFAMOUS RONALDO TRANSVESTITE SCANDAL 2009
In late 2019, a scandal involving a transvestite prostitute and the soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo began to circulate in the media.
The allegations stem from a 2009 visit by Ronaldo to a transvestite prostitute in Madrid, Spain. The prostitute, who goes by the name of “Miss X”, claims that Ronaldo paid her for sexual services.
The scandal has caused a huge amount of controversy and public outcry. Many people have expressed outrage at Ronaldo’s alleged behavior, while others have come to his defense, arguing that it was a private matter and that he should not be judged for it.
Regardless of the outcome of this infamous football scandal, it has raised some important questions about how society views gender identity and sexuality.
At the same time, the scandal has provided an opportunity for people to discuss issues of gender identity, sexuality, and discrimination. It has also sparked conversations about the importance of consent and of respecting another person’s privacy.
Ultimately, this football scandal has brought to light some of the issues that the LGBTQ+ community faces and has encouraged people to be more open-minded and understanding.
DIEGO MARADONA’s DRUG SCANDAL 1994
In 1994, Diego Maradona was banned for 15 months from professional football for a positive drug test.
Maradona’s test revealed that he had taken the stimulant ephedrine. As a result, he was suspended from playing football for 15 months and lost his captaincy of the Argentina national team. He was also fined $9,700.
Maradona had been known to be a cocaine user and was reportedly addicted to the substance. He had been arrested in 1991 for possession of cocaine and was sent to a rehabilitation center in Cuba. He had also been hospitalized twice in the early 1990s due to drug use.
This football scandal was a huge blow to Maradona’s career and reputation. Many fans were disappointed and angry at his drug use, which had tarnished his image as a sporting icon.
Although Maradona made a comeback in 1995, he was never able to fully regain his former glory.
Maradona’s drug scandal is a sobering reminder of the dangers of substance abuse. This infamous football scandal serves as a cautionary tale for those who are tempted to experiment with drugs and alcohol.
2005 BUNDESLIGA MATCH-FIXING SCANDAL
The 2005 Bundesliga match-fixing scandal was a scandal that resulted in the arrest of several referees and players in the German football league.
It began in early 2005 when German authorities were tipped off by a referee to a possible match-fixing ring operating in the Bundesliga.
An investigation into the allegations revealed that a number of matches had been fixed in the 2004–05 season, including several high-profile ones. As a result, several referees and players were arrested and several teams were fined and deducted points.
This infamous football scandal also resulted in the resignation of the president of the German Football Association (DFB) and the DFB instituting a new system for selecting referees.
BRAZILIAN WORLD CUP SPENDING SCANDAL 2014
The Brazilian Spending Scandal of 2014 was a political and financial scandal that occurred during the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
The scandal revolved around allegations of widespread corruption and mismanagement of public funds by the Brazilian government in order to finance the event.
The scandal began when the Brazilian news agency Folha de S. Paulo revealed that the Brazilian government had spent roughly 40 billion reais (about 21 billion US dollars) to host the World Cup. This was much higher than the original budget of about 7.5 billion reais (about 3.8 billion US dollars).
The Brazilian government had allocated the money to finance the construction of stadiums, infrastructure, and other related projects. However, it was alleged that much of the money had been misused and embezzled by politicians, government officials, and construction companies.
The scandal also revealed that the government had negotiated sweetheart deals with construction companies, allowing them to make huge profits from the tournament. Furthermore, it was alleged that the government had paid inflated salaries to World Cup organizers and had awarded contracts to politically-connected firms.
The Brazilian Spending Scandal of 2014 highlighted the need for greater financial transparency and accountability in the use of public funds. It also highlighted the need for greater oversight and regulation of the bidding process for major international events.
ANDRES ESCOBAR MURDER SCANDAL
The Andres Escobar murder scandal was a tragedy that occurred in Colombia in 1994.
Andres Escobar was a professional soccer player who had recently captained the Colombian national team in the 1994 FIFA World Cup.
During the tournament, Colombia was eliminated from the tournament after Escobar scored an own goal in a game against the United States. As a result of the own goal, Colombia was eliminated from the tournament.
Following the team’s elimination, Escobar was murdered in what is believed to have been a retaliatory killing. He was shot multiple times outside of a bar in Medellín, Colombia. It has been speculated that the murder was orchestrated by drug cartels in retaliation for Colombia’s loss as a result of his own goal.
Escobar’s death had a profound effect on the country of Colombia, and it is seen as a symbol of violence in the country.
In the years since his death, his memory has been kept alive by his friends and family, and his story has been the subject of documentaries, books, and films.
FRANK RIBERY, KARIM BENZEMA, and SYDNEY GOVOU 2010 SCANDAL
In April 2010, three of France’s biggest soccer stars—Frank Ribery, Karim Benzema, and Sydney Govou—were embroiled in a high-profile scandal.
The three had been accused of soliciting and paying for sex with an underage prostitute, Zahia Dehar. The scandal sent shockwaves through the French soccer world and proved to be a huge embarrassment to the sport in France.
The three players were suspended from the national team and faced criminal prosecution.
Ribery, who was the most prominent of the three players, eventually pleaded guilty to the charges and was handed a three-year suspended sentence and a fine of €10,000. Benzema and Govou were acquitted of the charges.
Despite the soccer scandal and their suspensions, all three players eventually returned to their clubs and the French national team.
Ribery and Benzema have since gone on to be two of the most successful players in France, while Govou has retired from professional soccer.
RACISM SCANDAL IN FRENCH FOOTBALL
Racism has been a major issue in French football in recent years.
In December 2016, a group of Chelsea fans were accused of racially abusing a black French player, Souleymane Sylla, in a Champions League match. This incident sparked a public outcry and several clubs took action against the perpetrators.
In February 2017, the French Football Federation (FFF) imposed a two-year ban on the club and ordered them to pay a fine of £20,000. This was the first time the FFF had ever taken such a stance against racism in football.
In June 2018, the FFF launched a new anti-racism campaign called “Respect Diversity”, in partnership with a number of NGOs and other organisations. The campaign aims to promote respect for diversity in football and combat discrimination.
In September 2018, a Paris Saint-Germain youth team coach was suspended for six months after making racist comments about an opposing player. This was the first time the FFF had taken such a stance against a coach.
In March 2019, the FFF launched the Respect Diversity in Football charter, which aims to promote equality and respect in football. The charter is supported by the French government and has been signed by over 100 clubs.
The FFF has taken significant steps to tackle racism in French football, but there is still a long way to go.
Racism remains a serious problem in French football and more needs to be done to ensure that all footballers are treated with respect.
BRITISH FOOTBALL RIGGING SCANDAL
In June 2020, an investigation by the British Football Association (FA) revealed a wide-scale rigging scandal in British football.
The investigation found that numerous football club officials had colluded to fix matches, using players and referees to manipulate the outcomes of games. The scandal was uncovered after the FA’s investigation into the suspicious nature of a number of matches between 2014 and 2020.
The investigation revealed that club officials had used a network of agents, players, and referees to fix the outcomes of matches in the top four divisions of English football. The officials had used bribes and other methods to influence the outcomes of games.
The investigation also found that the officials had used a “third-party ownership” system to control the players they were using to manipulate matches.
The scandal resulted in the suspension of several club officials, the resignation of the FA’s chief executive, and the introduction of measures to strengthen the FA’s governance of football in England.
The FA also announced that it would work with the government and police to investigate criminal activities within the sport.
Conclusion
The list of controversies and injustices in football goes on and on and it will take longer if we read on all of them.
Football is one of the most loved sports in the world, and people who closely follow the sport also know about a lot of the football infamous scandals and controversies that has followed the game over the years.
Max Fitzpatrick, a fervent sports enthusiast and skilled writer, brings a decade of expertise in football. His articulate storytelling captures the essence of each sport’s history, culture, and competitive spirit, inviting readers into the captivating world of sports.