FIFA corruption scandal thread

[Domingo Halliburton]

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday suggested that Argentine soccer legend Diego Maradona become the next FIFA president, hours after a deepening soccer scandal spurred the resignation of the group's top official.

 

[88m3]

6 interpol red notices for other fifa officials issued today



Great panel discussion on FIFA today on F24

http://www.france24.com/en/

 

[TLR Is Mental Poison]

hmm breh, i think this is a mildly interesting topic but relatively speaking nobody in the us really cares about this, as you can see by the measly 4 pages of posts

and i dont think you should up the baltimore thread either, baltimore isnt a hot topic anymore

im not knocking either thread but i just dont see why they should be upped

OK start your own forum and up your own threads then

 

[TLR Is Mental Poison]

This story is juicier than Amber Rose buttocks

Wat made him resign

When Blatter got that call

 

[88m3]

Fifa crisis: Ex-official Chuck Blazer details bribe-taking

• 21 minutes ago
  
• From the sectionUS and Canada

Chuck Blazer with Fifa president Sepp Blatter in 2011
'One of sport's most dramatic falls'

• Sponsors welcome Blatter resignation

• How Twitter reacted to Sepp Blatter's resignation

• Mountain goats and tighter shorts

Former top Fifa official Chuck Blazer admits that he and others on the executive committee agreed to accept bribes in conjunction with the choice of South Africa as 2010 World Cup host.

The American says he also accepted bribes over the 1998 event.

The admissions come in a newly released transcript from a 2013 US hearing in which he pleads guilty to 10 charges.

The US has launched a wide-ranging criminal case that engulfed Fifa and led President Sepp Blatter to resign.

The US prosecutors last week indicted 14 people on charges of bribery, racketeering and money laundering. Four others had already been charged, including Mr Blazer.

The US justice department alleges they accepted bribes and kickbacks estimated at more than $150m (£97m) over a 24-year period.

Seven of the 14 were top Fifa officials who were arrested in Zurich, Switzerland, as they awaited the Fifa congress. Two were vice-presidents.

'Kickbacks'
The details of Mr Blazer's guilty pleas came as prosecutors unsealed the transcript of the 2013 hearing in the Eastern New York District Court. The admissions are part of a sentencing deal with prosecutors.

Mr Blazer was the second highest official in Fifa's North and Central American and Caribbean region (Concacaf) from 1990 to 2011 and also served on Fifa's executive committee between 1997 and 2013.

How Fifa makes and spends its money

How can Fifa reform itself?

In the transcript, prosecutors refer to Fifa "and its membership or constituent organisation" as a RICO enterprise - a Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organisation.

Mr Blazer says: "Beginning in or around 2004 and continuing through 2011, I and others on the Fifa executive committee agreed to accept bribes in conjunction with the selection of South Africa as the host nation for the 2010 World Cup."

Earlier on Wednesday, South Africa denied paying a $10m bribe to secure the hosting of the 2010 event.

Mr Blazer also says: "I and others agreed to accept bribes and kickbacks in conjunction with the broadcast and other rights to the 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2003 Gold Cups (the regional championship for national teams)."

Other admissions among the 10 charges in the 40-page dossier include US tax evasion.

Federal agents investigating the tax evasion had detained Mr Blazer and he agreed to co-operate in the US investigations.

He is said to have agreed to record his colleagues using a microphone hidden in a keychain.

The 70-year-old is said to be seriously ill, suffering from colon cancer.

In addition to the US case, Swiss authorities have launched a criminal investigation into how the 2018 and 2022 World Cups were allocated.

'Stay strong'
Earlier on Wednesday, Mr Blatter was given a 10-minute standing ovation by some 400 staff as he returned to Fifa's Zurich headquarters a day after announcing he was to step down.

Reportedly close to tears, he urged his "fantastic team" to "stay strong".

He emphasised the reform work that Fifa now needed to undertake.

In his resignation speech on Tuesday, he said that although he was re-elected president by the congress last Friday it appeared the mandate he had been given did "not seem to be supported by everybody in the world of football".

Sepp Blatter was close to tears as he urged the staff to "stay strong"
http://www.bbc.com/news/32998735?ocid=socialflow_facebook

 

[theworldismine13]

OK start your own forum and up your own threads then

or i can just express my opinion about things, is that ok with you?

threads with a few pages should not be stickied just cuz some particular mod thinks the story is interesting, it should be stickied if it has widespread interest in the forum

fifa does not have widespread interest and the baltimore story has come and gone

i havent even clicked on it, but the religion thread is a hot topic apparently, threads like that should be stickied

 

[88m3]

or i can just express my opinion about things, is that ok with you?

You got sonned to Bolivia.

 

[TLR Is Mental Poison]

or i can just express my opinion about things, is that ok with you?

threads with a few pages should not be stickied just cuz some particular mod thinks the story is interesting, it should be stickied if it has widespread interest in the forum

fifa does not have widespread interest and the baltimore story has come and gone

i havent even clicked on it, but the religion thread is a hot topic apparently, threads like that should be stickied

Sure u are free to do whatever u want

But u arent free from being called an idiot when u say stupid things

U not a mod.... that means ur input is only of any value on threads that should be stickied, not stickied threads that should be taken down, if they arent personally attacking u

U said ur piece.... nobody cares... be a man and move on

 

[theworldismine13]

Sure u are free to do whatever u want

thanks i appreciate that, im glad i have your permission to freely express my opinion

But u arent free from being called an idiot when u say stupid things

agreed, anybody can say whatever they want to say

and this FIFA thread should not be stickied because its not a popular or pressing topic, why would somebody think im stupid for making an accurate observation

you have to resort to little insults cuz im telling the truth, FIFA is not a hot topic, thats just a fact

U not a mod.... that means ur input is only of any value on threads that should be stickied, not stickied threads that should be taken down, if they arent personally attacking u

do me favor and stop pulling shyt out of your ass, when in the history of sohh or the coli has it been wrong for posters to express their opinion about stickied threads, STFU

U said ur piece.... nobody cares... be a man and move on

i did say me piece, and you said your piece, why dont you move on

if you dont care then put me on ignore or stop replying to my posts

 

[88m3]

The Gloves Are Off, the Die Is Cast, Tyrants Will Fall: FIFA's Jack Warner Speaks
https://news.vice.com/article/the-g...ifas-jack-warner-speaks?utm_source=vicenewsfb

 

[CHL]

The Gloves Are Off, the Die Is Cast, Tyrants Will Fall: FIFA's Jack Warner Speaks
https://news.vice.com/article/the-g...ifas-jack-warner-speaks?utm_source=vicenewsfb

oh shyt

 

[Liu Kang]

Sharing a couple of articles that may wrap things up nicely... until the next thing blows.

How Fifa makes and spends its money
By Paul SargeantBBC News

• 29 May 2015
• From the sectionEurope

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32923882

Fifa, football's governing body, is being investigated by US and Swiss authorities over claims of corruption. Fourteen people, including senior officials, are accused of accepting bribes and kickbacks estimated at more than $150m (£97m) over a 24-year period.

How does the Zurich-based multi-million-pound organisation make its money and what does it spend it on?

The US-led part of the twin investigations is looking at corruption among members of the Concacaf and Conmebol, the confederations that represent national associations across the Americas and the Caribbean.

During the four-year period of the last World Cup, each national association received at least $2m (£1.3m) from Fifa and continental federations received $17.5m (£11.4m). So the total received by all organisations on the American continent between 2011 and 2014 was around $137m.

Meanwhile, the Swiss investigation centres on the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, to be held in Russia and Qatar respectively.

Any uncertainty around the World Cup is a major concern to the organisation. Fifa's own financial reports give a clear indication of how reliant the organisation is on the income each tournament generates.

Making money from the World Cup
The World Cup is the most lucrative sporting event in the world, eclipsing even the Olympics. The 2014 qualifying rounds and final tournament brought in $4.8bn (£3.1bn) over four years and, after costs are taken into account, Fifa made a profit of more than $2bn.

Profit from the 2014 World Cup

That $4.8bn in revenue for the 2014 World Cup can be broken down into five key sections:

How much money does Fifa hold on to?
Fifa re-invests the majority of its revenue but it does hold on to a proportion of any profit to create a cash reserve. Fifa says that the reserve is important as it is extremely difficult to find insurance to cover the possible last-minute cancellation of a World Cup.

The value of this reserve has grown sharply in the last decade from $350m (£228.6m) in 2005 to more than $1.5bn (£1bn) in 2014.

The US indictment alleges over $150m (£97m) in corruption during a period of over 20 years. That currently equates to around 10% of the money Fifa has on hand for emergencies.

Design by Salim Qurashi and Gerry Fletcher

Most important thing is the organization with the 6 confederations and how strength by numbers is better than strength by power. UEFA, CONMEBOL and CONCACAF are the most powerful federations when it comes to their clubs but they have less than half of the 222 members (they have 105).

Politics-wise, Blatter did the right things by giving the World Cups to South Korea and South Africa (and also plenty others things, from a social point of view) because it gave him the leverage to secure the votes for the 3 "minor" federations that are CAF, AFC and OFC and who have more members (and votes) than the big 3.

 

[Liu Kang]

Fifa corruption claims: Key questions answered
By James ReevellBBC News

• 4 June 2015
• From the sectionEurope

The Fifa executives indicted include - Rafael Esquivel, Nicolas Leoz, Jeffrey Webb, Jack Warner, Eduardo Li, Eugenio Figueredo and Jose Maria Marin​

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32897066

Fifa, football's governing body, has been hit by two corruption inquiries. Seven Fifa officials have been arrested in Switzerland at the request of the US authorities after a total of 14 people were indicted for corruption. The amounts involved are alleged to be above $150m (£97m).

Hours later, the Swiss authorities launched their own criminal inquiry into the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Swiss police raided Fifa's headquarters in Zurich and seized electronic evidence.

Why does this matter?
Fifa is the body responsible for running world football. In recent years it has been dogged by accusations of corruption, particularly the award of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar. In December 2014, Fifa chose not to release its own investigation into corruption - which it says exonerates the bidding process. The report's author, American Michael Garcia, resigned.

The World Cup is one of the biggest sporting events in the world and generates billions of dollars in revenue. These arrests and investigations cast doubt over the transparency and honesty for the process of allocating the last three tournaments.

The two inquiries
The American indictments - which focus on corruption allegations going back to 1991 - are the most serious, as they could potentially lead to prison terms. As well as the seven people arrested in Zurich, indictments were issued for seven others.

The Swiss criminal case is still at the investigative stage but could provide revelations about the allocation of the forthcoming World Cups. It is the first time that authorities with the power to prosecute have looked at the bids. However, in their statement the Swiss make it clear that Fifa are actually the "injured party". This means that they are investigating individuals who might have abused the bidding process and used it for money laundering.

Who's accused of corruption?
The most senior figures arrested at the request of US authorities are football powerbrokers in North America, Latin America and the Caribbean.

They are connected to Concacaf (the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football), which is part of Fifa - essentially it is in charge of football in that region. One of its key roles is helping to agree World Cup TV and sponsorship deals in the US.

Jeffrey Webb is the head of Concacaf and was widely seen as being groomed as a successor to Fifa president Sepp Blatter - indeed, Mr Blatter had said as much. His predecessor Jack Warner has also been indicted. Mr Webb replaced Mr Warner after he was forced to step down after a fraud inquiry.

Latin American football chiefs also figure heavily in the list. There are two former presidents of CONMEBOL, which represents South American football nations. One of them, Eugenio Figueredo, was a Fifa vice-president - one of the most senior roles in world football.

A key figure appears to be Charles "Chuck" Blazer, US soccer's former representative to Fifa, who has become a supergrass for the FBI. He has pleaded guilty and already repaid $1.9m, with a further amount to be determined at the time of sentencing.

Has Sepp Blatter been arrested?
No. The Fifa president and most powerful man in football is not named in the US indictments. However, they do say those arrested were working as part of Fifa - of which he is head. He has so far refused to step down despite growing pressure, saying he would stay on to "lift the shadow" cast by the arrests.

Mr Blatter was recently forced to deny reports that he was avoiding travelling to the United States because he feared arrest.

Why were the officials arrested?
The FBI has been investigating Fifa for the past three years. The investigations were initially sparked by the bidding process for the Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022 World Cups, but was widened to look back at Fifa's dealings over the past 20 years.

The Department of Justice's indictment says that the corruption was planned in the US, even if it was then carried out elsewhere. The use of US banks to transfer money appears to be key to the investigation.

Why Switzerland?
It is the home of Fifa, with the company's registration as a charity allowing it to pay little tax.

Switzerland might be perceived as a country where less than transparent companies are welcome, particularly when it comes to tax, but its extradition agreement with the US is clear that it will hand over people for criminal acts.

It appears that US authorities took advantage of the fact that Fifa's annual Congress brought together key suspects in an extradition-friendly country.

How much money is involved?
Massive amounts, allegedly.

The US indictment alleges over $150m in corruption, and that does not include other possible corruption around the world. An earlier Fifa report into Caribbean corruption, which was leaked, alleged that bribes of $40,000 were handed to officials in cash-stuffed envelopes.

Fifa makes nearly all its revenue from the World Cup, the most lucrative sporting event in the world, eclipsing even the Olympics. Last year's tournament cost the host country Brazil an estimated $4bn, and yet Fifa made more than $2bn in profit. The costs of the next two World Cups are expected to dwarf this: Qatar 2022 is reported to be above $6bn.

Just bidding for the right to host the World Cup is enormous - the English FA spent £21m on its failed bid for the 2018 tournament.

Will the Russia 2018 or Qatar 2022 World Cup be moved?
Unlikely but not impossible at this point.

The US indictments focus on historical corruption - the selection of South Africa as the 2010 World Cup host is mentioned - but not the forthcoming world cups. The Swiss investigations into those tournaments might prove more fruitful, but it would take overwhelming evidence to run the bidding process again.

Practically, moving the 2018 Russia World Cup would be fraught with difficulty. Very few countries have the stadiums, infrastructure or money to host the event at such short notice. Even most English stadiums would need a major refurbishment to meet Fifa standards. Germany offers the best option, having hosted the 2006 World Cup.

Qatar is far more vulnerable and has been dogged with controversy and allegations of corruption ever since its award. However, having seen out several corruption scandals, an unprecedented move from a summer to winter tournament and a scandal over the treatment of migrant workers, the odds are it will somehow hold onto football's most illustrious competition.

 

[88m3]

'Russia & Qatar may lose World Cups' - Fifa official
Russia and Qatar could lose the 2018 and 2022 World Cups respectively if evidence emerges of bribery, leading Fifa official Domenico Scala has said.

The countries deny wrongdoing in their bidding processes and Scala admits he has not seen evidence of corruption.

Scala is the head of Fifa's audit and compliance committee.

He said: "Should there be evidence that the awards to Qatar and Russia came only because of bought votes, then the awards could be cancelled."

Speaking to Swiss newspaper Sonntagszeitung, he added: "Until today, the respective evidence has not been provided."

Scala made similar comments at the end of 2013 but in light of events at Fifa in the past two weeks this will be viewed as a more serious warning.

Seven senior Fifa officials were arrested last month in high-profile dawn raids at a Zurich hotel, where they had been staying ahead of their presidential election.

They are among 14 people charged by US prosecutors, who allege they accepted bribes and kickbacks estimated at more than $150m (£100m) over a 24-year period.

Swiss authorities have also launched a separate criminal investigation into how the 2018 and 2022 World Cups were allocated.

Sepp Blatter, Fifa president since 1998, was re-elected at the Zurich meeting but announced four days later that he would resign amid the corruption allegations engulfing the organisation,

American lawyer Michael Garcia was previously hired by Fifa to investigate the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding processes.

In November, findings from his two-year inquiry were released by Fifa as a summary of his full 430-page report, but Garcia complained their representation of his work was "erroneous".

The report cleared World Cup hosts Russia and Qatar of wrongdoing.

Garcia quit weeks later over Fifa's handling of his inquiry and his comments reopened the debate about the validity of the bidding process.

Scala has since had Garcia's report reviewed by legal experts both in sport and outside of sport but neither were able to find grounds to alter the award of either tournament at this stage.


http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/33041467

That would be glorious

 

[88m3]

Qatar and Russia could be stripped of World Cup - if evidence of bribery is found, says senior Fifa official

Fifa are engulfed in allegations of corruption and bribery relating to the upcoming tournaments and past World Cups

EMILY DUGAN

SOCIAL AFFAIRS EDITOR


Sunday 07 June 2015


PRINT
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Russia and Qatar could be stripped of the right to host the World Cup if evidence of bribery in the bidding process emerges, the chairman of Fifa’s audit and compliance committee has said.

Domenico Scala said in an interview with the Swiss newspaper SonntagsZeitung: “If evidence should emerge that the awards to Qatar and Russia only came about thanks to bought votes, then the awards could be invalidated.”

But Mr Scala said that such evidence “has yet to be brought forth” and Russia and Qatar have previously denied any wrongdoing in the award of the 2018 and 2022 tournaments. They were not included in the charges announced by the FBI last week against Fifa officials.

The Foreign Secretary, Philip Hammond, said that he supported Qatar hosting the 2022 tournament but that Britain would work with another country if Fifa reopened the bidding process. However, he ruled out any British bid to host the 2022 competition if Qatar were stripped of hosting rights.

“We would offer our support to any country that has been chosen to host the World Cup,” he told BBC World Service radio, saying the final decision would be for Fifa to make.



Contenders to replace Sepp Blatter as Fifa president
1 of 6

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LIVE: LATEST FIFA CORRUPTION ALLEGATIONS LATEST NEWS
ENGLAND 'CAN HOST THE 2022 WORLD CUP'
BLAZER REVEALS 1998 AND 2010 WORLD CUP BRIBES
Allegations of how the $10m was sent from Fifa to accounts controlled by the former vice-president Jack Warner were reported by the BBC. The funds, sent on behalf of South Africa, were apparently for use on its Caribbean diaspora legacy programme.

But the broadcaster has seen documents which allege he used the payment for cash withdrawals, personal loans and to launder money. The BBC claimed that three wire transfers in 2008 took money from Fifa accounts into accounts for the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football which were controlled by Jack Warner.

Mr Warner, 72, has been indicted by the FBI for corruption but denies all claims of wrongdoing. Fifa says it is co-operating with the investigation and South Africa’s Football Association has vehemently denied any wrongdoing.

Fifa did not respond to The Independent’s requests for comment.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...found-says-senior-fifa-official-10303156.html