Feb 18th 2012, 14:23 by D.S. | BUENOS AIRES
RENOWNED worldwide for their sublime skills, Argentina’s footballers are a source of great pride to their countrymen. Yet few law-abiding Argentines hold their football league in similar high regard. Many of those involved in it are tainted by corruption, from club presidents down to security guards at matches. Money laundering in the system is thought to be rife. In a long-overdue effort to clean up the game, the government this month introduced new financial-disclosure requirements for the league and its teams. But these still pale in comparison with the scale of the problem.
Argentina has been under pressure to combat corruption since last June, when the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an international body set up to fight money laundering, placed it on a “grey list” of countries whose efforts to root out wrongdoing do not measure up. Although the FATF did not single out football, it had expressed its concerns about money laundering in the game in a report published in July 2009, which made reference to Argentina. Inclusion on the grey list carries an implicit warning that a country risks ending up on the FATF’s notorious “black list” unless it makes progress. Countries in that category have, in the past, found it extremely difficult to do business with any of the FATF’s 34 members, which include big economies like America, Britain and France, as well as Mexico, another Latin American heavyweight.
Largely in response to the FATF’s criticisms, the government this month forced the Argentine Football Association, the sport’s national governing body, to adopt a new set of rules. For a start, it must file an annual report on every member of staff paid at least $13,800 a year (including bonuses, prizes and gifts), as must every club in the top two divisions of the league. They also have to provide details of payments they make to corporate sponsors, government officials and anybody else with whom they do business. Failure to disclose this information can result in a fine of up to $23,000. And if reports uncover evidence of illegal payments, the fine can be as much as ten times the sum involved. Unless the Argentine Football Association strictly enforces the new rules, the government says it will withdraw the $200m it provides each year so that football fans can enjoy televised matches free of charge.
None of this is likely to be sufficient to stop the rot. Corruption has flourished due largely to the activities of the so-called barrabravas, violent groups of fans with interests in organised crime. The story of their rise dates back to the 1950s, when officials started trading free tickets for fans’ votes, which they needed to win election to a club’s board. As these fans grew more powerful and demanding, they began to take illicit control of club affairs like ticketing and the sale of refreshments during matches. Today, club directors often owe their positions entirely to barrabravas. Footballers are also under their control, sometimes splitting wages with them. Players from Boca Juniors, Argentina’s most popular club, even visited Rafael Di Zeo (pictured), the former boss of the team’s barrabrava, when he was in jail (he was released in May 2010 after serving more than three years for assault).
Barrabravas have already taken some blame for the decline of several big clubs in recent years. The most notable case is that of River Plate, one of the oldest teams in Latin America, which was relegated to the second division last year for the first time in its 110-year history. Its demotion followed years of mismanagement and corruption—exacerbated by infighting between members of the club’s own barrabrava—that left it saddled with huge debts, forcing it to sell its most gifted players to wealthy European clubs.
The new rules are certainly a step in the right direction for Argentina. Besides making it harder for miscreants to launder money with impunity, the government has given the Argentine Football Association an incentive to police the system effectively by threatening to withdraw its funding of television coverage. But having shown scant regard for existing laws and regulations, the barrabravas seem unlikely to pay much heed to new rules on financial disclosure. If Argentina’s government is serious about ending the corruption, it will need to confront the gangs on the terraces and in the streets. That is an altogether tougher prospect.
It’s truly sad that people get so consumed by what is supposed to be a fair, team sport. This is not to say that this problem is solely Argentinian, by any means, the number of bar fights and full-crowd riots in America is also high. Though it is honestly ridiculous, most people in the United States know that scenes can quickly get dangerous when people are intoxicated and something unexpected happens in a sports game. Even though I could preach about the absurdity of this all day, these things still happen and are unlikely to change; people are going to continue being overly passionate about their favorite sports team. I feel that this is also true in Argentina, even if the financial corruption can be slowed to some extent, these barrabravas appear to be the most fanatical in their class. Especially since these groups have held power over Argentinian football for years, it will be extremely difficult to reclaim that power for the fans or the players. However, it is certainly not impossible, and probably worth the trouble if it means a safer arena for Argentinian fans and players. I also think the stance taken by Financial Action Task Force to place Argentina on their grey list is a wise angle to attack this beast of a problem from. This way, Argentina is more aware of the ongoing problem and also aware that this problem has been noticed and will not be tolerated by other nations.
ReplyDeleteKatelyn Ruppert
SPN 110 12pm
This article does not seem very surprising to me. For one, sports are a huge part of our society if we realize it or not. They are something that discretely brings countries together (even if they are rooting against one another). Athletes have a big affect on people as well. They provide a hero status of our culture and generally are looked up to. With these big industries come a lot of money and as always corruption comes along with that. I find it appalling somethings people will do for money. I find it justified what the FATF is doing. It is so sad what these "barrabravas" are doing and essentially ruining something that everyone loves. Especially in Latin American countries, their favorite sports team is some people's life. They are truly passionate about it and it is so beautiful but behind it is so much corruption. If people would just stop thinking about money and actually enjoy the sport then people can move past this.
ReplyDeleteIn countries such as Argentina where there is significant conflict between government/police and gangs/criminals, there is sometimes little that can be done to fix corruption. Violence ensues when large numbers of corrupt people have more power over their own government. This is an example of a very complicated and twisted system that can spiral out of control very easily. Innocent people end up getting hurt. The stakes are high when money, violence and sports are combined. How ironic is it that recreational sports can cause so much chaos. But as history reveals, this issue is nothing new. Corruption exists within other recreational activities such as horse racing, casinos, and professional sports. And behind the scenes, America is one of the biggest offenders. The problem will always exist on a global scale.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this article i was not very surprised with what it had to say about the crimes that were taking place in Argentina. the FATF are taking the right steps that it will take to try to improve the money laundering through out the country. Football is a very popular sport in latin america countries so thats why you see a lot of crime happening around that specific sport. what the government has done will help and in the future develop different rules that will stop this nonsense.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this article i was not very surprised with what it had to say about the crimes that were taking place in Argentina. the FATF are taking the right steps that it will take to try to improve the money laundering through out the country. Football is a very popular sport in latin america countries so thats why you see a lot of crime happening around that specific sport. what the government has done will help and in the future develop different rules that will stop this nonsense.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I have not heard of this situation in Argentina, I'm honestly not surprised. Even though sports are supposed to be all fun and games, they can easily get competitive and rooted in money, especially in the professional sports world. I think since the barrabravas have been around since the 1950s it is going to be difficult to stop their acts. Although this article pertains to Argentina, I think that similar, but possibly less violent situations occur in the major leagues in the United States and other countries as well. In the major leagues there are many controversial situations of money use and steroids, and although this is not necessarily violence regarding tickets, it is still an issue in our country. I think that since the high up officials in Argentina owe much of their success to barrabravas, it will be hard to fight them and stop their violence. Also, since they have been around for 62 years, I think that a lot of their major leagues are rooted in barrabravas, whether they are violent or not. However, I do agree with the Katelyn, when she says that it is a step in the right direction. The fact that the situation and the group are being addressed despite their power, shows that the country recognizes that the problem is out of control and must be dealt with.
ReplyDeleteThis article actually reminded me of a documentary I saw in my Sports in Society Class, called "The Escobars". It showed the corruption and politics of the game futbol. While i honestly do not believe that this is something uncommon, I do know that it sometimes is happeneing before our eyes. For instance in the "sport" of wrestler there is corruption because the matches are fixed. I find it very hard to even imagine how people can continue to watch WWE or any wrestling competition when they know it is a show and all about politics. Through every organization there is going to be corruption. In the film the two escobars, the soccer team was fueled by drug money. While the drug lords used the money to honestly bring peace throughout the country by futbol, the government did not see it the same.
ReplyDeleteRhessling quoted above;
"Violence ensues when large numbers of corrupt people have more power over their own government. This is an example of a very complicated and twisted system that can spiral out of control very easily. Innocent people end up getting hurt. The stakes are high when money, violence and sports are combined." I cannot agree with this statement any more! Escobar the drug dealer had more money than his government knew what to do so he had more power, but violence erupted. Innocent people ended up getting hurt because of the war against drugs and even a famous soccer player died. Violence and sports are combined at a professional level but underneath that there is corruption because of politics of the game.
This article wasn't that shocking. In our culture today in a lot of places sports is a big deal, it unites the people in that country. In Latin American countries people are especially passionate about football, it is a big deal to them. I think what the FATF is doing will help the country in its development.
ReplyDeleteMelissa Patel; SPN 110
It is unsettling to hear about the vastness of corruption in the sports environment of Argentina; unfortunately, monetary corruption has taken over the football world there. It's upsetting that most likely, only in a perfect world could sports just be about fun, unity, and athletic support. I hope that the FATF are able to enforce steadfast financial regulations and stop the corruption not only in the sports world, but in the whole spectrum of financial issues in Argentina.
ReplyDeleteMeredith Lax, SPN 210G, 1:00 pm class, MWF.
In the way we have grown up as sports being a large part of our society, it is not surprise that this is happening. While it is not as of a problem in the United States, Argentina like many other countries depend on their football teams. Many people live and breathe off the game. The FATF is making the right steps to help control the situation better.
ReplyDeleteLike many who have already commented, this article wasn't very surprising to me. The Americas in general seem to be riddled with corruption right now. Politics and sports seem to be the two most corrupt areas, and seeing how huge soccer is in South America, it isn't outrageous to hear the allegations. I think the FATF is moving in the right direction, but it appears that Argentina will likely end up black listed if they don't clean up the mess soon. I hope that they are able to but this may run too deep to fix without international involvement.
ReplyDeleteWhile I am not surprised to learn of corruption in the sports world, I am surprised to learn the degree to which corruption exists. I am shocked that a player would be willing to give half his earnings to these Barrabravas. To me, sports provide an arena for the truly talented to shine. It is unfortunate that athletes would use their talent to promote violent crime and government corruption, rather than talent and dedication. Perhaps these athletes need to realize the magnitude of their decisions; maintaining relationships with Barrabravas is perpetuating crime and corruption in Argentina. Furthermore, this article makes me question the level of corruption in sports in the United States. Between player salaries, team owners, and those who bet on games, money will always be closely linked with sports. It worries me, though, that the sports world has become more about making and spending money than about athletes and their passion for a game. Hopefully Argentina will be able to clean up its act.
ReplyDeleteWhile I am not surprised to learn of corruption in the sports world, I am surprised to learn the degree to which corruption exists. I am shocked that a player would be willing to give half his earnings to these Barrabravas. To me, sports provide an arena for the truly talented to shine. It is unfortunate that athletes would use their talent to promote violent crime and government corruption, rather than talent and dedication. Perhaps these athletes need to realize the magnitude of their decisions; maintaining relationships with Barrabravas is perpetuating crime and corruption in Argentina. Furthermore, this article makes me question the level of corruption in sports in the United States. Between player salaries, team owners, and those who bet on games, money will always be closely linked with sports. It worries me, though, that the sports world has become more about making and spending money than about athletes and their passion for a game. Hopefully Argentina will be able to clean up its act.
ReplyDeleteE. Dunkel SPN 210G MWF 1pm
Like those who have responded before me I do believe that it is not surprising that this is happening because sports is so big in their culture. I think that is best that FATF is taking control of the situation to stop crime from escalating. If the Argentines don't stop from laundering money they will be black listed. I hope that they solve this problem so that they don't get into anymore trouble.
ReplyDeleteLike thoughts who responded before me it was not very surprising to hear what was going around in Argentina. Sports are a big deal in this country and I hope that they realize that they are getting them selves into a bit of trouble by what they are doing. They are going to be black listed by the FATF because of laundering money problems and they need to stop.
ReplyDeleteThis article was not too surprising to me like others have mentioned. However, I was surprised to hear about how much corruption there is. When it comes to sports, people unite to cheer for a common team favorite. However, when money and politics becomes involved, as with professional sports, there are always debates; corruption and allegations are unavoidable. I think that FATF is making good steps in correct or minimizing these faults and I hope that their new rules will work.
ReplyDeleteThis article was not too surprising to me like others have mentioned. However, I was surprised to hear about how much corruption there is. When it comes to sports, people unite to cheer for a common team favorite. However, when money and politics becomes involved, as with professional sports, there are always debates; corruption and allegations are unavoidable. I think that FATF is making good steps in correct or minimizing these faults and I hope that their new rules will work.
ReplyDeleteThis article was absolutely shocking yet not at the same time. I think it says a lot about the country's history and citizen dynamic. The events were reported in July of 2009 but nothing has seriously been done until recently until now, 2012! I think it is unfortunate and sad that these barrabravas have turned to corruption to gain power, control and $. Since these barrabravas are said to be violent I wonder what extent they will go from here after the new laws are in place. That being said, I also believe that in the US we have corruption in sports as well. I just think it is less obvious to the public.
ReplyDeleteThis article was absolutely shocking yet not at the same time. I think it says a lot about the country's history and citizen dynamic. The events were reported in July of 2009 but nothing has seriously been done until recently until now, 2012! I think it is unfortunate and sad that these barrabravas have turned to corruption to gain power, control and $. Since these barrabravas are said to be violent I wonder what extent they will go from here after the new laws are in place. That being said, I also believe that in the US we have corruption in sports as well. I just think it is less obvious to the public.
ReplyDeleteThis article shocked me and didnt at the same time. I believe that the US has its own issues with corruption in sports, but that it is just not as obvious to the public. The idea that these barrabravas would go so far just to gain $, control, and power is frightening. I also noticed that the article mentioned reports occurring in 2009 but these laws have only just been in place 2012, three years later. I think that more needs to be done besides FATF since the barrabravas are said to be violent as well. It will be interesting to see what results from the rules that are being in place and what change it will or will not make.
ReplyDeleteThe more and more i read about our economy globally, the more i think the world's political figures are corrupt. It is ridiculous the type of things people and countries will do for money. Who would have ever suspected that money was being laundered by the people in charge of Argentinian football leagues. That is just beyond ridiculous, if you ask me. Although, it has not been officially reported, I wouldn't be surprised if the same thing was happening in the United States. People in the United States have a greater purchasing power than people from other countries. With that being said, people in the United States have greater flexible when it comes to handling money. This article really did blow my mind. I can't help but to wonder what other supports also contain corrupted officials.
ReplyDeleteAsia Booker
MWF at 1:00 - 1:50pm
I think it will be almost impossible to stop this corruption within Argentinian sport. The game is too popular and the people are too passionate to accept anything less than what is coming to them. They demand free games on television and would be outraged at anything less. The new rules that were implemented were something, but will probably amount to little. If you ask me, the game and the rules will likely remain the same. It is incredibly difficult to end corruption that has become routine and typical. If the system works corruptly, then there will be little internal demand to change it. Sport is a huge part of Argentinian society. A few rules and guidelines aren't going to change that anytime soon. The people in charge will always get what they want.
ReplyDeleteI think it will be almost impossible to stop this corruption within Argentinian sport. The game is too popular and the people are too passionate to accept anything less than what is coming to them. They demand free games on television and would be outraged at anything less. The new rules that were implemented were something, but will probably amount to little. If you ask me, the game and the rules will likely remain the same. It is incredibly difficult to end corruption that has become routine and typical. If the system works corruptly, then there will be little internal demand to change it. Sport is a huge part of Argentinian society. A few rules and guidelines aren't going to change that anytime soon. The people in charge will always get what they want.
ReplyDeleteThe state of Argentinian sport is defined by corruption, mostly internally. On the other hand, the passion of the common people and the barrabravas is incredibly heated as well. The rules and guidelines put in place will ultimately do little in changing the societal rule of sport in the country. People will want to watch the match for free as part of their rights. The internal corruption's likely to remain as it has been in place for such a long period of time. The established system is designed to work with corruption built in. Nobody will want to change that if it's working. Only a huge societal change on the outlook of sport will change anything in the end. That is extremely unlikely though.
ReplyDelete