“What emerges, as the World Cup nears kickoff in 11 Russian cities, is the story of FIFA and other sports governing bodies repeatedly kowtowing to Russia despite evidence of widespread doping, computer hacking and allegations of bribery of sports officials. And it’s the story of how those actions have fueled an unrelenting effort over the past decade to speed Russia’s return to sporting superiority, from the Olympics to soccer to a range of minor sports.” (Think of how unreal it is that Russia is hosting the World Cup.) From ESPN: How some inside FIFA battled Russian influence, and lost.