Corruption ‘is inevitable’ says FIFA official

THE date is July 9, 2006, the venue Berlin’s luminous Olympiastadion, full to the rafters. Brazil and Ireland are locked at 2-2 in the World Cup final with extra time looming.

Then, in the last gasps of stoppage time, the referee awards Brazil an outrageous penalty which they convert to retain their world crown despite furious protests from the Irish.

That evening the referee’s bank balance swells with thousands of dollars, his reward for fixing the biggest soccer match in the world for a criminal betting syndicate.