Outside Of The Games, Are Sports Corrupt?

By Frank Deford

Published November 19, 2014 at 3:49 AM EST

The executive committee of FIFA — the international organization that regulates soccer — was so suspected of taking bribes that FIFA ordered its own internal investigation. It's no surprise, says Frank Deford, that it found no wrongdoing.

We so regularly excuse the chicanery of sport. We fans suspect that our team is just as guilty as whatever ooze bubbles to the surface elsewhere, so let it go lest we be the next one caught. For us privileged to actually be down in the rabbit hole, the sins have been so present for so long, they simply become accepted as a benign part of the landscape. Hey, it's all just fun and games, so go along, be a — well, be a good sport.

Only, every now and then ...

Every now and then the evils are just so gross that you have to blink open the blind eye. Sorry. Such was the past week.

Click on the audio link above to hear Deford's take on the issue.

Tags

NPR News Morning Edition

Frank Deford

Frank Deford died on Sunday, May 28, at his home in Florida. Remembrances of Frank's life and work can be found in All Things Considered, Morning Edition, and on NPR.org.

See stories by Frank Deford

Orcas are hunting whale sharks, the largest fish species on Earth

Lauren Sommer

A new study reveals how a group of killer whales is able to hunt whale sharks, adding to a growing body of research showing how the whales use intelligence and coordination in impressive ways.
Advocates renew a push for states to enact voting protections

Hansi Lo Wang

With efforts to bolster the federal Voting Rights Act unlikely under Republican control of the new Congress, advocates are refocusing on state protections against racial discrimination in elections.
How crocodiles get their scale patterns (Hint: It's unlike other animals)

Jonathan Lambert

Many animals get their external marking--like, feathers, hair or scales-from genetics. But it turns out, the crocodile gets its head patterns differently.