FIFA President Sepp Blatter does not miss an occasion to criticise Italy and the Italians. He seems to harbour a total dislike for the country and nation, so much so that he did not present Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro with the World Cup trophy when Italy were crowned world champions in 2006. And, four years later, FIFA organised the handing over of the trophy to South Africa with the participation of the French, who had lost the final, rather than with the Italians.

Blatter harshly criticised the Italian football system when the calciopoli scandal erupted just before the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany. And he criticised the Italians again after the chaos during the Euro 2012 qualifying match against Serbia – when the chaos was not caused by the Italians, but by a crowd of Serbs.

The Italians therefore had reason to express delight when, just a few days later, FIFA was embroiled in a scandal involving two of its executive officials who offered to sell their vote in the process to select the country set to host the 2018 World Cup.

The story was broken in England, where people are still bitter about being beaten by Germany in the run-up to host the 2006 World Cup. In a way, both Italy and England have taken their revenge over FIFA and Blatter.

The story is still being investigated, but the two officials, Nigerian member Amos Adamu and Oceania representative Reynald Temarii, have been suspended from taking part in any football-related activity "in relation to the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups."

It stands to reason that FIFA has taken such a position. FIFA wants to put the minds of the bidding nations at rest that no illicit behaviour is taking place. After all, it is within their rights to know that the contest is clean.

Yet it goes to prove that FIFA cannot point fingers at others when they have their own problems to deal with. Such a scandal exposes the fact that FIFA, like any other organisation, and its officials, like any other officials, could fall into a trap similar to the one set by the undercover reporters working for The Sunday Times of London.

Blatter himself must learn to keep his thoughts to himself. As a president of a federation that encompasses nearly 200 countries, he cannot allow himself to be seen as being antagonistic to one of the members, more so when this particular member happens to be one of the strongest nations in the football world.

Secondly, FIFA must make sure that the officials that it elects, and who would then be involved in a selection process that is worth millions to the winning country, are respectable people who are not easily swayed to favour one country over another.