World Cup Shares Controversy: What Ethics Demands of Leaders
You may have caught the headlines: the FIFA president defending the sale of World Cup shares to investors, insisting there was ‘no obligation’ to disclose or refrain. On the surface, it sounds like a reasonable legal defense. But something about it doesn’t sit right. When someone in a position of immense power says something ‘wasn’t required,’ an immediate question arises — but was it the right thing to do? That tension between what is permitted and what is proper touches something fundamental, something Freemasons have been reflecting on for centuries. The Difference Between What You May Do and What You Should Do Every day, we navigate the gap between what is legally allowed and what is genuinely good. You can ignore a colleague who needs help. You can stay silent when injustice unfolds before your eyes. No one will take you to court for it. But deep down, you know there is a different standard — one that isn’t written in any law book but ought to be engraved in your character. The recent controversy surrounding the sale of shares in the FIFA World Cup perfectly illustrates this tension. When a leader hides behind the phrase ‘no obligation,’ it sounds […]