经济学人:足球 竞技精彩 交易龌蹉

 　　Football

　　足球

　　Beautiful game, dirty business

　　竞技精彩，交易龌蹉

　　Football is a great sport, but it could be so much better if it were run honestly

　　作为一项伟大运动的足球，公平竞争能让它变得更好。

　　THE mesmerising wizardry of Lionel Messi and the muscular grace of Cristiano Ronaldo are joys to behold¹. But for deep-dyed internationalists like this newspaper, the game's true beauty lies in its long reach, from east to west and north to south. Football, more than any other sport, has thrived on globalisation. Nearly half of humanity will watch at least part of the World Cup, which kicks off in Brazil on June 12th.

　　有着梦幻般迷人动作的莱昂内尔?梅西和有着健美身材的克里斯提那?罗纳尔多总是让人为之疯狂着迷。但是在像我们报纸这样真正的国际主义者看来，足球运动之美在于这项运动的覆盖范围之广，从东到西，从南到北，都有它的踪影。足球比其他任何运动都更具全球性。今年6月12日，全世界几乎有一半的人至少会收看部分巴西世界杯的比赛。

　　竞技精彩交易龌蹉.jpg

　　So it is sad that the tournament begins under a cloud as big as the Maracan? stadium. Documents obtained by Britain's Sunday Times have allegedly revealed secret payments that helped Qatar win the hosting rights to the World Cup in 2022.If that competition was fixed², it has company. A report by FIFA, football's governing body, is said to have found that several exhibition matches were rigged ahead of the World Cup in 2010. And as usual, no one has been punished.

　　所以让人难过的是这场比赛一开始就疑团重重，犹如乌云必然。英国《周日时报》获得的文件表明卡塔尔为获得2022年世界杯主办权向组委会塞了红包。如果竞选确实是被操纵了的话，那么事情肯定还不止这么简单。国际足球联盟的报道表明他们发现2010年世界杯前的几场表演赛是被操控的。但是和往常一样的是，没有人因此受罚。

　　This only prompts other questions. Why on earth did anyone think holding the World Cup in the middle of the Arabian summer was a good idea? Why is football so far behind other sports like rugby, cricket and tennis in using technology to doublecheck refereeing³ decisions? And why is the world's greatest game led by such a group of mediocrities, notably⁴ Sepp Blatter, FIFA's boss since 1998? In any other organisation⁵, the endless financial scandals would have led to his ouster years ago. But more than that, he seems hopelessly out of date; from sexist remarks about women to interrupting a minute's silence for Nelson Mandela after only 11 seconds, the 78-year-old is the sort of dinosaur⁶ that left corporate⁷ boardrooms in the 1970s. Nor is it exactly heartening that the attempts to stop Mr Blatter enjoying a fifth term are being led by Michel Platini, Europe's leading soccercrat, who was once a wonderful midfielder but played a woeful role in supporting the Qatar bid.

　　这也意味着还有其他的问题。谁会认为在阿拉伯地区的夏季举办世界杯是个好主意？为什么在运用技术来检验裁判的准确性上，足球远远落后与其他运动，比如英式橄榄球，板球或是网球？为什么让一些平庸之辈来领导这项世界上最伟大的运动，特别是自1998年以来要让赛普·布拉特担任国际足联的主席？他如果在组织，早就会因其不断的财政丑闻而下台了。然而还不止这些，他已经无可救药的过时了，不管是他发表的对女性的歧视言论，还是妨碍尼尔森曼德拉（他在20世纪70年代年78岁叱咤风云的时候离开了其领导的政坛。）的一分钟默哀（当时的默哀还只进行了11秒）都可以看得出来。或者，真的应该对以米歇尔普拉蒂尼为首的为阻止布拉特连任第五届足联主席所做的努力而感到兴奋吗？米歇尔布拉蒂尼是欧洲最优秀的足球运动员，他曾是出色的中场队员，但是他还是很不幸的支持了卡塔尔承办世界杯。

　　Our cheating rotten scoundrels are better than yours

　　起码我们足球还没你们腐败

　　Many football fans are indifferent to all this. What matters to them is the beautiful game, not the tired old suits who run it. And FIFA's moral turpitude⁸ is hardly unique. The International Olympic Committee, after all, faced a Qatar-like scandal over the awarding of the winter games in 2002 (though it has made a much bigger attempt to clean itself up). The boss of Formula One, Bernie Ecclestone, stands accused of bribery¹⁰ in Germany, while American basketball has just had to sack an owner for racist¹¹ remarks. Cricket, the second-most-global sport, has had its own match-fixing scandals. American football could be overwhelmed by compensation claims for injuries.

　　许多足球球迷们对这些腐败问题都漠不关心。他们关注的是精彩的比赛而不是这些无聊的穿的西装革履，又老态龙钟的管理人员们。而且不道德的行为也不仅仅发生在国际足联中。毕竟，2002年冬奥会期间，国际奥委会也出现过类似卡塔尔事件的丑闻（尽管他们为了澄清自己做出过更多的努力）。世界一级方程式锦标赛主席伯尼埃克莱斯顿也被指控曾在德国受贿，而某美国篮球队的老板也因其民族歧视言论而被迫离职。全球第二大运动板球，也有其操作比赛的丑闻。美国橄榄球也被索赔要求搞得鸡犬不宁。

　　But football fans are wrong to think there is no cost to all this. First, corruption¹² and complacency at the top makes it harder to fight skulduggery on the pitch. Ever larger amounts of money are now being bet on each game—it may be $1 billion a match at the World Cup. Under external pressure to reform, FIFA has recently brought in some good people, including a respected ethics¹³ tsar, Mark Pieth. But who will listen to lectures about reform from an outfit¹⁴ whose public face is Mr Blatter?

　　但是如果球迷们认为这些不会带来什么代价的话，那就大错特错了。第一，高层的腐败和自满使得打击球场作假变得举步维艰。每场比赛的赌注也越来越大，一场世界杯比赛的赌注可能高达10亿美元。迫于外界要求改革的压力，国际足联最近吸纳了一批公正的人，包括受人尊敬的道德模范马克皮尔斯。但是谁会相信由布拉特代表的这一机构的改革呢？

　　Second, big-time corruption isn't victimless; nor does it end when a host country is chosen. For shady regimes—the type that bribe⁹ football officials—a major sporting event is also a chance to defraud¹⁵ state coffers, for example by awarding fat contracts to cronies. Tournaments that ought to be national celebrations risk becoming festivals of graft¹⁶.

　　第二，腐败的肆虐并不是无害的，这种腐败行为也不会在承办国确定以后就不复存在。对于阴暗的体制来说（比如对足球裁判行贿的体制），重要的足球盛会同样也可以成为骗取政府财政的机会，比如可以为同伙签订利益丰厚的合约。这使得本应该是举国欢庆的比赛盛世可能会沦为为贪污腐败者的节日。

　　Finally, there is a great opportunity cost. Football is not as global as it might be (see article). The game has failed to conquer the world's three biggest countries: China, India and America. In the United States soccer, as they call it, is played but not watched. In China and India the opposite is true. The latter two will not be playing in Brazil (indeed, they have played in the World Cup finals just once between them).

　　最后，这样做会付出高昂的机会成本。足球并不像它能够的那样那么全球化（另见文）。这项运动没能征服世界上三个最大的国家：中国，印度和美国。在美国，美式足球，正如人们说所的那样，是用来参与的而不是观赏的。而在中国和印度，足球却是用来观赏而不是参与的。中国和印度并不会参加巴西世界杯（实际上，只有中国对参加过世界杯决赛阶段的比赛）。

　　In FIFA's defence, the big three's reticence¹⁷ owes much to their respective histories and cultures and the strength of existing sports, notably cricket in India. And football is slowly gaining ground: in the United States the first cohort of American parents to grow up with the game are now passing it on to their children. But that only underlines the madness of FIFA giving the cup to Qatar, not America. And the foul¹⁸ air from FIFA's headquarters in Switzerland will hardly reassure¹⁹ young fans in China who are heartily²⁰ sick of the corruption and match-fixing in their domestic soccer leagues.

　　国际足联辩称，这三个国家在足球方面的沉默源自于历史文化和其它体育运动的强势，尤其是印度的板球。但是足球已经逐渐站稳脚跟。在美国，第一代踢足球长大的家长已经把习惯传承给了他们自己的孩子。然而，这只能更加说明国际足联拒绝美国而把世界杯承办权授予卡塔尔是多么的愚蠢。而弥漫着位于瑞士的国际足联总部的污浊之气也不能使中国的年轻球迷感到安心，他们正为中国国家足球队的腐败和比赛造假而倍感痛心。

　　It would be good to get rid of Mr Blatter, but that would not solve FIFA's structural²¹ problem. Though legally incorporated as a Swiss non-profit organisation, FIFA has no master. Those who might hold it to account, such as national or regional football organisations, depend on its cash. High barriers to entry make it unlikely that a rival will emerge, so FIFA has a natural monopoly over international football. An entity²² like this should be regulated, but FIFA answers to no government.

　　如果能让布拉特下台自然不错，但也不能解决国际足联的组织结构问题。尽管国际足联是在瑞士合法注册的非盈利机构，但是没有人对它进行管控。那些可能对其进行管控的机构，比如国家或者地区足球组织，却又都依赖于国际足联的资金。高门槛准入导致很难产生竞争对手，于是国际足联垄断了国际足球运动。像这样的组织本应接受监管，但是国际足联却不受任何政府的管控。

　　All the same, more could be done. The Swiss should demand a clean-up or withdraw FIFA's favourable²³ tax status. Sponsors should also weigh in on graft and on the need to push forward with new technology: an immediate²⁴ video review of every penalty and goal awarded would be a start.

　　即使这样，也并非无可作为。瑞士方面可以要求清理或者撤回对国际足联的税收优惠政策。赞助方也可以权衡腐败问题并从推行新技术入手。这一技术可以对点球和进球判罚进行及时影像回放。

　　The hardest bit of the puzzle is the host-selection process. One option would be to stick the World Cup in one country and leave it there; but that nation's home team would have a big advantage, and tournaments benefit from moving between different time zones. An economically rational option would be to give this year's winner, and each successive champion, the option of either hosting the tournament in eight years' time or auctioning²⁵ off that right to the highest bidder²⁶. That would favour football's powerhouses. But as most of them already have the stadiums, there would be less waste—and it would provide even more of an incentive²⁷ to win.

　　问题的难点在于承办权的竞选过程。一种选择是把世界杯举办权授予某个特定国家，让它一直作为承办国：但是这个国家的主场球队就会大占优势，在比赛中也不用受时差的影响。经济合理的选择是，把权利授予每届杯赛冠军，他可以决定八年举办一次杯赛，或者把承办权授予出价最高的投标者。这样的话，足球强国就会占优。不过因为他们大都已经拥有足球场，这样也不会产生过多的浪费，而且会激励更多的国家去争夺冠军。

　　Sadly, soccer fans are romantic nationalists, not logical economists—so our proposal stands less chance of winning than England does. One small step towards sanity²⁸ would be formally to rotate the tournament, so it went, say, from Europe to Africa to Asia to the Americas, which would at least stop intercontinental corruption. But very little of this will happen without change at the top in Zurich.

　　遗憾的是，球迷们都是浪漫的国际主义者，而不是理性的经济学家，所以我们的建议比不过英国人的。赛事轮换举办可以是走向理智的一小步，比如可以按照从欧洲到非洲到亚洲再到美洲的顺序进行，这样至少可以阻止洲内腐败。但是如果国际足联苏黎世总部没有改变的话，所有这些设想都不会付诸实践。

1 behold   

v.看，注视，看到

参考例句：

• The industry of these little ants is wonderful to behold.这些小蚂蚁辛勤劳动的样子看上去真令人惊叹。
• The sunrise at the seaside was quite a sight to behold.海滨日出真是个奇景。

2 fixed   

adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的

参考例句：

• Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
• Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

3 refereeing   

[计]仲裁，审稿工作，稿件评审

参考例句：

• I've spent too much time in my career refereeing staff/line disputes. 办事人员和第一线人员常常发生争执，我为解决这种争执花费了许多时间。 来自辞典例句
• Unfair refereeing in yesterday's match made the news again. 昨天的比赛中又爆出了“黑哨”丑闻！ 来自互联网

4 notably   

adv.值得注意地，显著地，尤其地，特别地

参考例句：

• Many students were absent,notably the monitor.许多学生缺席，特别是连班长也没来。
• A notably short,silver-haired man,he plays basketball with his staff several times a week.他个子明显较为矮小，一头银发，每周都会和他的员工一起打几次篮球。

5 organisation   

n.组织，安排，团体，有机休

参考例句：

• The method of his organisation work is worth commending.他的组织工作的方法值得称道。
• His application for membership of the organisation was rejected.他想要加入该组织的申请遭到了拒绝。

6 dinosaur   

n.恐龙

参考例句：

• Are you trying to tell me that David was attacked by a dinosaur?你是想要告诉我大卫被一支恐龙所攻击？
• He stared at the faithful miniature of the dinosaur.他凝视著精确的恐龙缩小模型。

7 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

8 turpitude   

n.可耻；邪恶

参考例句：

• He was considered unfit to hold office because of moral turpitude.因为道德上的可耻行为，他被认为不适担任公务员。
• Let every declamation turn upon the beauty of liberty and virtue,and the deformity,turpitude,and malignity of slavery and vice.让每一篇演讲都来谈自由和道德之美，都来谈奴役和邪恶之丑陋、卑鄙和恶毒。

9 bribe   

n.贿赂；v.向…行贿，买通

参考例句：

• He tried to bribe the policeman not to arrest him.他企图贿赂警察不逮捕他。
• He resolutely refused their bribe.他坚决不接受他们的贿赂。

10 bribery   

n.贿络行为，行贿，受贿

参考例句：

• FBI found out that the senator committed bribery.美国联邦调查局查明这个参议员有受贿行为。
• He was charged with bribery.他被指控受贿。

11 racist   

n.种族主义者，种族主义分子

参考例句：

• a series of racist attacks 一连串的种族袭击行为
• His speech presented racist ideas under the guise of nationalism. 他的讲话以民族主义为幌子宣扬种族主义思想。

12 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

13 ethics   

n.伦理学；伦理观，道德标准

参考例句：

• The ethics of his profession don't permit him to do that.他的职业道德不允许他那样做。
• Personal ethics and professional ethics sometimes conflict.个人道德和职业道德有时会相互抵触。

14 outfit   

n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装

参考例句：

• Jenney bought a new outfit for her daughter's wedding.珍妮为参加女儿的婚礼买了一套新装。
• His father bought a ski outfit for him on his birthday.他父亲在他生日那天给他买了一套滑雪用具。

15 defraud   

vt.欺骗，欺诈

参考例句：

• He passed himself off as the managing director to defraud the bank.他假冒总经理的名义诈骗银行。
• He is implicated in the scheme to defraud the government.他卷入了这起欺骗政府的阴谋。

16 graft   

n.移植，嫁接，艰苦工作，贪污；v.移植，嫁接

参考例句：

• I am having a skin graft on my arm soon.我马上就要接受手臂的皮肤移植手术。
• The minister became rich through graft.这位部长透过贪污受贿致富。

17 reticence   

n.沉默，含蓄

参考例句：

• He breaks out of his normal reticence and tells me the whole story.他打破了平时一贯沈默寡言的习惯，把事情原原本本都告诉了我。
• He always displays a certain reticence in discussing personal matters.他在谈论个人问题时总显得有些保留。

18 foul   

adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规

参考例句：

• Take off those foul clothes and let me wash them.脱下那些脏衣服让我洗一洗。
• What a foul day it is!多么恶劣的天气！

19 reassure   

v.使放心，使消除疑虑

参考例句：

• This seemed to reassure him and he continued more confidently.这似乎使他放心一点，于是他更有信心地继续说了下去。
• The airline tried to reassure the customers that the planes were safe.航空公司尽力让乘客相信飞机是安全的。

20 heartily   

adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很

参考例句：

• He ate heartily and went out to look for his horse.他痛快地吃了一顿，就出去找他的马。
• The host seized my hand and shook it heartily.主人抓住我的手，热情地和我握手。

21 structural   

adj.构造的，组织的，建筑（用）的

参考例句：

• The storm caused no structural damage.风暴没有造成建筑结构方面的破坏。
• The North American continent is made up of three great structural entities.北美大陆是由三个构造单元组成的。

22 entity   

n.实体，独立存在体，实际存在物

参考例句：

• The country is no longer one political entity.这个国家不再是一个统一的政治实体了。
• As a separate legal entity,the corporation must pay taxes.作为一个独立的法律实体，公司必须纳税。

23 favourable   

adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的

参考例句：

• The company will lend you money on very favourable terms.这家公司将以非常优惠的条件借钱给你。
• We found that most people are favourable to the idea.我们发现大多数人同意这个意见。

24 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

25 auctioning   

v.拍卖( auction的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The Army is auctioning off a lot of old equipment. 军队正在把大量旧装备拍卖掉。 来自辞典例句
• So she's auctioning off a chance to go to an awards dinner? 那么她在拍卖与她共赴晚宴的机会了？ 来自电影对白

26 bidder   

n.(拍卖时的)出价人，报价人，投标人

参考例句：

• TV franchises will be auctioned to the highest bidder.电视特许经营权将拍卖给出价最高的投标人。
• The bidder withdrew his bid after submission of his bid.投标者在投标之后撤销了投标书。

27 incentive   

n.刺激；动力；鼓励；诱因；动机

参考例句：

• Money is still a major incentive in most occupations.在许多职业中，钱仍是主要的鼓励因素。
• He hasn't much incentive to work hard.他没有努力工作的动机。

28 sanity   

n.心智健全，神智正常，判断正确

参考例句：

• I doubt the sanity of such a plan.我怀疑这个计划是否明智。
• She managed to keep her sanity throughout the ordeal.在那场磨难中她始终保持神志正常。