MICHAEL PEARLMAN SAYS: Sport and politics don't mix? They do in Wales

This past week has seen the worlds of sport and politics collide in a big way with two key issues.

Firstly, and not for the first or last time, FIFA have been in the headlines, the world governing body of football who have spent much of the past 12 months being accused of corruption.

The timeline of their countdown to their presidential election was typically jaw dropping; one of the two candidates forced to withdraw after being accused of corruption before the extraordinary case of Jack Warner.

When corruption allegations came in the direction of Warner, the Concacaf president, he seemed to opt to go down swinging, essentially throwing allegations across the board at FIFA, including chief Sepp Blatter himself.

Nothing came of his outbursts and now that the dust has settled he has quietly gone back on promises to reveal details of supposedly explosive e-mails. He, like deposed candidate Mohamed bin Hammam, is now under investigation.

Meanwhile, like a bedraggled Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, the English FA, still smarting from their World Cup 2018 snub, set about putting the wheels of change in motion, emerging from the dark with their guns blazing attempting to stop the election with a laughable lack of support.

The English FA, an organisation desperately in need of reform, refinement and strong leadership, seemingly forgot about the need to put their own house in order with a token gesture that secures their status as the most unpopular football regulators in the world.

They had a perfectly reasonable case why the election shouldn’t go ahead and then motioned for a vote on a delay. Not much backing for that. And little wonder.

However, much right is on their side in terms of the issues, but the FA are rightly a laughing stock around the world, with six chief executives in little over a decade making them look weak and unstable and the opulence of the Premier League drawing envy and mirth.

They’ve had one chief executive resign because of a sex scandal with a company secretary and then the sting on Lord Triesman, who has subsequently used parliamentary privilege to accuse four ExCo members of making requests for money from England’s 2018 bid team. No evidence has been forthcoming. This is the same FA that has taken over a decade to build a national academy.

It’s embarrassing and it’s easy to see why so many nations were totally unwilling to stand with England.

However, it’s still a hugely uncomfortable situation and I find it hard to swallow just how defiant FAW chief executive Jonathan Ford has been about backing Blatter 100%, both in terms of having the election and picking Blatter, the one and only candidate running.

“There was no other choice…we are trying to steer a ship and I’d rather steer a ship when we’ve got a hand on the helm and that’s what I am trying to do,” he said.

“There is nothing Sepp Blatter has done that is going to make any suggestion why we should abstain from voting for him.

“The ethics committee investigated all the allegations and found there was not a case to answer and – I’m very, very sure on this – until you run around and charge someone and find them guilty then fine, they would have to answer appropriately.”

So that’s simple then. Mr Ford voted for Blatter simply because he’s the best man for the job and has no case to answer. There was nothing political about the vote?

“Ultimately, what we are trying to do is make sure that football is run in the best possible way and we are trying to do that from within the ship rather than out.”

On the FA, Ford added: “They have their own choice to make and my choice is to make sure we’re at that table and we have a say in how FIFA is being run.”

Oh. Is it wrong of me to conclude Wales just dared not risk upsetting FIFA? Why then were Scotland one of the first to support the English proposal?

In reality Mr Ford is in his position to act in the best interests of the FAW and it’s easy to see why many will feel that is exactly what he’s done here.

However, it’s almost impossible not to feel uncomfortable about this.

The FAW have already led the revolt against a Team GB side at the Olympics – even though to my surprise players and fans alike seem keen on the idea – and has also vocally supported FIFA in their stance against goal-line technology despite nearly every football fan in the country disagreeing. Mr Ford was practically the spokesman for technology being the root of all evil in January 2010 when the international board members rejected proposals to introduce it.

Blatter keeps referring to FIFA as a family and Wales certainly don’t want to be the black sheep of the family.

However, it would be a great deal more comforting if in the meantime the FAW weren’t farcically messing up ticket requests for marquee games and struggling to modernise and streamline like their Scottish counterparts.

The FAW stance with FIFA is at best shrewd, sensible and understandable but can also unquestionably be viewed as cowardly.

Without question it leaves a nasty taste in the mouth.

Before moving on, what of the weird additions of Henry Kissinger, Placido Domingo and Johann Cryuff who form a ‘solutions committee’ for FIFA at Blatter’s behest?

Presumably they are tasked with finding a solution if a corrupt United States President is having trouble hitting his high notes or showing sublime football skills? What else are they qualified for in this context? I have no idea. My tip for the fourth member is Diana Ross whose had unfinished business with football since her penalty miss in USA 94.

Finally, yet more sporting politics involving Wales, this time with the decision to award Cardiff a 2012 Test match against the West Indies at the expense of Lord’s.

No Windies Test at Lord’s they gasp? Has the world gone bonkers? Will cricket ever be the same again?

I touched upon it last week, but there is a lot of absolute rubbish spouted against Cardiff and Wales as a Test venue, it’s been insulting and unnecessary.

One can’t legislate for the weather but it’s undeniable that both Test matches at Cardiff have been superb spectacles, with phenomenally exciting conclusions.

At least three former England captains have criticised the decision, but I can’t for the life of me understand why.

Firstly, the West Indies now represent ‘lesser’ Test opposition. Fact. Sad, but undeniably true. The advent of Twenty20, the IPL and a year-round schedule means money has poured into cricket and the England AND WALES (lest we forget) Cricket B0oard have 10 Test venues to pick from.

And they are quite right to rotate them. Why should Lord’s always be guaranteed a Test? When England tour they are shunted all over the place, it’s the way it works.

Plus, with Lord’s as an Olympic venue next year, does it really need two out of only six Test matches all summer?

Why shouldn’t Wales, Hamp-shire, Durham et al create their own Test traditions and legacies?

However, it will only work if the Welsh people and residents want it to.

If you want Test cricket to stay in Wales, go and watch it. Otherwise, we’ll have very little argument if it stops being the case.