How Much Is Too Much? FIFA's Role With ISL "Causing Concern"

FIFA's "attempt to help rescue ISL, the stricken sports marketing company ... facing bankruptcy in a Swiss court, is causing concern within high football circles," according to Mihir Bose of the London DAILY TELEGRAPH. A "prominent" FIFA source said, "The situation is very murky and getting murkier. It is giving the public a very bad image of ourselves." Bose reports ISL employees "were told there could be a delay" in receiving their paychecks, estimated to total $2.5M per month. Sources said that ISL owes FIFA $187M "as part of the payment due on their deal," and they owe UEFA another $20M. But a FIFA spokesperson "admitted only that ISL had failed to secure sponsorship for the computer technology" for the '02 World Cup. ISL "was hoping to get" three sponsors, each paying $30M, and FIFA "could lose" $120M (London DAILY TELEGRAPH, 4/26).