The Australian category for best sport writing went to Nick McKenzie and Richard Baker of The Age for their articles exposing the money trail involved in Australia’s unsuccessful World Cup bid.
Two perfectly lovely characters by the name of Fedor Radmann and Peter Hargitay benefited from AUD 11.37m of tax payer money for their lobbying services. And they are all tied at the hip to the odious Jack Warner. The Football Federation of Australia tried hushing it up by being deliberately vague in its accounting to the Australian government.
Andrew Jennings has more on the duo who have colourful histories. Hargitay in particular was twice acquitted on cocaine trafficking charges, worked for Marc Rich, the tax dodger who fled the US, and was linked to a securities fraud in Hungary. He’s now actively involved in getting Mohammed Bin Hammam elected as FIFA president.