The Fifa Superthread; Corruption, Arrests and Sepp Blatter's Resignation!

Lithium93_

With the **** hitting the fan today

https://twitter.com/SkySportsNewsHQ/status/603613940157931520?lang=en

InTheTrees

Deleted User wrote: »

American Football is barely played beyond 18.

Believe me I'm not a big fan of american football, but I wouldnt underestimate its popularity in the USA. Out of the top twenty stadiums in the world only 6 are not for American Football:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_stadiums_by_capacity

Oat23

https://twitter.com/RobHarris/status/603614251803082756


(BREAKING: UEFA calls for postponement of FIFA presidential election & may boycott congress.)

InTheTrees

UEFA calls for postponement of the elections.

I expect CONCACAF would make a statement too except the leadership are all in Swiss jail cells. Priceless.

inforfun

InTheTrees wrote: »

UEFA calls for postponement of the elections.

I expect CONCACAF would make a statement too except the leadership are all in Swiss jail cells. Priceless.

That is it.
Can speculate all you want what is going to happen with WC in Russia and Qatar but for now, it is only that particular association that is getting hit.

Read on a Dutch site that basically every single organisation of the Copa America (which also start soon in Chile) has been riddled with bribes, though no proof of matches being sold during those tournaments.

Yes, these guys were all taken from the FIFA hotel but for all i can see, it is strictly focussing on what happen over seas (for now?)

syngindub

Did John Delaney have the inside track on this on monday

TheTownie

Statement from Blatter.

This is a difficult time for football, the fans and for FIFA as an organisation. We understand the disappointment that many have expressed and I know that the events of today will impact the way in which many people view us.

As unfortunate as these events are, it should be clear that we welcome the actions and the investigations by the US and Swiss authorities and believe that it will help to reinforce measures that FIFA has already taken to root out any wrongdoing in football.

While there will be many who are frustrated with the pace of change, I would like to stress the actions that we have taken and will continue to take. In fact, today’s action by the Swiss Office of the Attorney General was set in motion when we submitted a dossier to the Swiss authorities late last year.

Let me be clear: such misconduct has no place in football and we will ensure that those who engage in it are put out of the game. Following the events of today, the independent Ethics Committee – which is in the midst of its own proceedings regarding the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups - took swift action to provisionally ban those individuals named by the authorities from any football-related activities at the national and international level. These actions are on top of similar steps that FIFA has taken over the past year to exclude any members who violate our own Code of Ethics.

We will continue to work with the relevant authorities and we will work vigorously within FIFA in order to root out any misconduct, to regain your trust and ensure that football worldwide is free from wrongdoing.

keith16

Hank Scorpio wrote: »

Figo must feel awfully smug right now

This should bring him back down a peg or two on the old smug ladder

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gasxpPiews

inforfun

TheTownie wrote: »

Statement from Blatter.

Nice try Seppie

Jeffrey Webb, a lawyer seen as a future leader of soccer's global ruling body was among the targets of Wednesday's anti-corruption raids.

The 50-year-old, from the Caribbean island of Grand Cayman, has been tipped by FIFA president Sepp Blatter as his future replacement. He also serves as a vice president of FIFA and president of continental governing body CONCACAF.

syngindub

Sepp has it all under control. just get the vote in for Friday and we be grand

v3ttel

It's a sign of Blatter's incredible incompetence that it is actually a viable possibility that he was completely and utterly oblivious to that fact that the organisation around him is allegedly rotten to it's core.

I have to say though that the best part of all of this is the fact that it is just days before the FIFA elections. How gloriously fitting if leader of this allegedly corrupt organisation was re-elected? It would really seal the deal on all that has gone before.

It's the beginning of the end for Blatter and the lads. A great day for football.

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo

I'm eagerly awaiting the Louis Theroux documentary on this, where all the ex FIFA top brass will have formed an allegiance with the Crips in a two part special episode of Miami Mega Jails as they violently feud with a Mexican cartel for control of the maximum security prison's drug supply.

Will be a good watch.

v3ttel

TheTownie wrote: »

Audio of Loretta Lynch's opening statement here.

3:55 is the most interesting part for me.

corruption & bribery allegedly extended to the 2011 presidential election

Hank Scorpio

Edit. Not sure tweet is authentic.

Hopefully Blatter is next

Aidric

BoJack Horseman wrote: »

Switzerland knows its clients value privacy.
Accordingly, Swiss authorities are genuinely wary of executing external warrants.

Would I be surprised if the Switzerland based FIFA, ran by Swiss Sepp Blatter had a modicum of influence over Swiss authorities?.... No, I'd expect it.

Its not by accident these governing bodies (IOC etc) reside there, it isn't because of some perception of Swiss neutrality.
Its because Switzerland builds its reputation as a financial bolt-hole from not asking questions vis-a-vis money.

Blatter is King Rat, the world knows it.
I've a slight feeling his lack of arrest here is no accident.

Could be wrong though, perhaps Sepp is whiter than white.

Historically this was true but Switzerland is moving towards more transparency.

http://internationalbanker.com/banking/switzerland-signs-deal-to-end-banking-secrecy/

Don't be under the misconception that Blatter is somehow revered here. That's perhaps only true in his hometown of Visp. Most Swiss people have become very tired of the persistent corruption cloud hanging over FIFA and are quite tired of the activities of the man at the forefront.

Jaysus FIFA are a complete joke. Best thing about them is the game that gets released under their name every year.

Oat23

Deleted User wrote: »

Jaysus FIFA are a complete joke. Best thing about them is the game that gets released under their name every year.

The game is a complete joke too.

Oat23

Oat23 wrote: »

The game is a complete joke too.

Becomes corrupt less often though.

madalig12

Oh so you decided to give the world cup to Russia rather than us the Mighty United States? Well take this.....BOOM!

Pepe LeFrits

v3ttel wrote: »

It's a sign of Blatter's incredible incompetence that it is actually a viable possibility that he was completely and utterly oblivious to that fact that the organisation around him is allegedly rotten to it's core.

There isn't the slightest possibility that Blatter is innocent of corruption. You don't maintain a 17 year long, vice-like grip control of an organisation like FIFA by being clean. It is fundamentally built on greasing palms, everything is for sale and the presidency is the juiciest prize of all.

Lord TSC

Deleted User wrote: »

Becomes corrupt less often though.

Not when you realise it's one giant cash grab trying to get you to buy Fifa points :P

Jelle1880

madalig12 wrote: »

Oh so you decided to give the world cup to Russia rather than us the Mighty United States? Well take this.....BOOM!

https://twitter.com/darrenrovell/status/603573430223556609

Attorney General Loretta Lynch alleges there was $110 million in bribes to get the Copa America to the U.S. in 2016 alone

circadian

Lord TSC wrote: »

Not when you realise it's one giant cash grab trying to get you to buy Fifa points :P

So true. Worked on a few and all you got from higher management was the FIFA points angle.

This will only be a good thing for football if it dislodges Blatter. A part of me thinks that he will somehow wangle out of it, on the other hand they have plenty of people to sit on for amwhile. It would be great if one of them started talking about the big man.

Icepick

josip

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Although questioned by American authorities, al-Sahhaf was released, and there has been no suggestion of charging or detaining him for his role in the Saddam Hussein government. He is now living in the United Arab Emirates with his family

Fizman

Jack Warner just released on bail for $2.5m!

GLaDOS

Fizman wrote: »

Jack Warner just released on bail for $2.5m!

Jack Warner's bail release brought to you by McDonalds

He's lovin' it!

LuckyGent88

Fizman wrote: »

Jack Warner just released on bail for $2.5m!

Where to hell did he just pull that money from?? Surely if he has that type of money just lying around he could invest some of it into the football facilities in his home country.

DVDM93

Jack Warner out on bail, $2.5 million/£1.63m, passport taken off him, has to report to the police twice a week, didn't plea, due to appear in court again July 12th.

Fr Tod Umptious

Cantstandsya wrote: »

I think they're doing it because they've found strong evidence of corruption in FIFA?

"Hey Garda, why do you care that I burned down that bakery, you don't even like cakes!"

I was being sarcastic

Fr Tod Umptious

Deleted User wrote: »

While these types of cases are often politically-motivated one can only hope the Yanks go ahead and follow through on this. A shift in the balance of power in world football would be fantastic.
While it's still a work in progress, the growth of the sport in the US is still happening (baseball is losing, American Football is barely played beyond 18, ice hockey is niche in many areas) and the Yanks (government, football officials, clubs owners etc.) are going to be looking for what they perceive as a fairer playing field everywhere.

(American) Football may not be played that much by people after school or college but the NFL is unbelivebably sucessful at the moment.
And the college game is huge in lots of places all across the US.
Baseball has lost a bit of it's national appeal to (American) football but it's still popular in individual markets such as Boston, New York and St. Louis to name just three.
Basketball is very popular and (ice) hockey makes up the top 4.

Soccer has become more popular with major broadcasters buying the rights for EPL, UCL, Euros and World Cups.
But it's still a million miles behind the others when it comes to column inches in the printed media and air time in the broadcast media

Sure, this story is making healines today, but unless it's the World Cup you will never hear people on sports talk radio or on TV sports shows talk about soccer regularly, and the same goes for the printed media.

RedemptionZ

The influx of hispanic immigrants is going to make a huge difference in sports culture in the US. Anyone who has been to anywhere in the southern or western parts of the US, even parts of Florida, will see that the (predominantly Mexicans) don't speak English as a first language or in a lot of cases at all and play soccer when they take their kids out to the park. Most Hispanic immigrants are too small for the American sports anyway, which tend to favour sheer athleticism over skill. But that's a whole other topic, so I digress.

I know people are saying this is good because it could spell the end for Blatter and co. But what a horrible time for football, to see the corruption that goes right to the top confirmed, terrible terrible image for the world game.

A Dub in Glasgo

Great interview on BBC Newsnight with Andrew Jenkins the journalist who has been hounding FIFA for years about corruption

Headshot

A Dub in Glasgo wrote: »

Great interview on BBC Newsnight with Andrew Jenkins the journalist who has been hounding FIFA for years about corruption

Saw that

Thought Ginola came across ready well too

A Dub in Glasgo

He did, he liked the interview as well

batistuta9

BoJack Horseman wrote: »

Is it not strange that the notoriously secretive Swiss are doing this?

I wonder is Sepp cleaning house?

apart from this post, #3, there hasn't been many mentions of conspiracy theories. the above is a classic though, giving up everyone else & get yourself a free pass used by mafia members & mexican cartels :pac:

do the US want to control soccer ball?
the english FA píssed that their bribes weren't good enough?
john delaney emerging from the long grass with team 33 still fresh in his mind?

what changes are people expecting this to bring about exactly?

RedemptionZ

RedemptionZ wrote: »

The influx of hispanic immigrants is going to make a huge difference in sports culture in the US. Anyone who has been to anywhere in the southern or western parts of the US, even parts of Florida, will see that the (predominantly Mexicans) don't speak English as a first language or in a lot of cases at all and play soccer when they take their kids out to the park. Most Hispanic immigrants are too small for the American sports anyway, which tend to favour sheer athleticism over skill. But that's a whole other topic, so I digress.

I know people are saying this is good because it could spell the end for Blatter and co. But what a horrible time for football, to see the corruption that goes right to the top confirmed, terrible terrible image for the world game.

That is true, But I doubt many are shocked by the fact that a lot of FIFA is corrupt. Although it wasn't proved until now, I'd say that it was pretty common knowledge that FIFA is always corrupt.

I couldn't believe that they gave Qatar the world cup though! I thought they would try a little harder at looking less corrupt, but they don't seem to care.

MightyMandarin

Whatever about the FIFA delegates and their bribes, this lad from the Qatar2022 comittee looks like such a dodgy character.

Headshot

He looks like a snake oil seller

Call Me Jimmy

Could be bad lighting?

Underground

With regards to Sepp not being arrested (yet), we can only arrive at one of the following two conclusions:

1. He made some sort of deal with the DoJ/FBI and gave them dirt on his guilty subordinates

2. He is really that stupid, incompetent, and hapless that he genuinely had no idea what was going on the entire time.

Either way, it paints a rather unflattering picture of old Sepp, I didn't think my opinion of him could get much lower but that may well change.

JohnDaniels

https://twitter.com/RobHarris/status/603701527912554496

RGM

Lithium93_ wrote: »

It's in Russia, but i don't see what today's events have to do with that.

You mean aside from the Swiss opening a criminal investigation into the 2018 and 2022 votes?

Peist2007

I saw somewhere today that the Clinton Foundation received money from Qatar (between 250k and 500k) in the aftermath of the Qataris getting the 2022 World Cup. Bill Clinton was part of the American bid. He was said to be so angry after the vote that he put his fist through a glass mirror. The Qataris allegedly greased the Clinton Foundation after this. Not a relatively huge amount but a significant gesture. It will be interesting to see how far the FBI want to take this, what with the bemusement over Hillary's presidential election kitty.

Also noted how the investigation's scope goes back 25 years to 1990. The US bid for the 1994 World Cup won in 1988.

Today is one of football's most important days. Greg Dyke is right. Blatter needs to go now.

Billy86

v3ttel wrote: »

It's a sign of Blatter's incredible incompetence that it is actually a viable possibility that he was completely and utterly oblivious to that fact that the organisation around him is allegedly rotten to it's core.

I have to say though that the best part of all of this is the fact that it is just days before the FIFA elections. How gloriously fitting if leader of this allegedly corrupt organisation was re-elected? It would really seal the deal on all that has gone before.

It's the beginning of the end for Blatter and the lads. A great day for football.

You'll be very disappointed when he gets voted back in on a landslide, so.

No offense intended by the way, and I really do hope I am wrong there. But I won't be.

RedemptionZ

Surely they were getting enough bribes as it was that they could've clamped down on the World Cup spots. If Russia and Qatar weren't selected, would any of these investigations, or even dare I say it any outrage at all be taking place? Obviously the corruption was always there, but, particularly with Qatar, they drew so much unneeded attention their way. Was it arrogance or was this always going to happen anyway?

Richard Hillman

TBH I want Blatter to win the election. I don't want to see him go quietly to retirement and the media leaving him alone (there are big privacy laws in Switzerland)

I want him to have to face up to the ****storm, rather than hide away in mansion. I want him to be president when the FIFA veil finally ends. And I don't want to give this other guy time to pretend he's cleaning up Blatters mess.

If they vote Blatter, they all have to fall on their swords. If the other guy wins, we'll just get more of the same with an added grace period.

JohnDaniels

JohnDaniels wrote: »

https://twitter.com/RobHarris/status/603701527912554496

That'll give Blatter some light relief.

I'd say he'd nearly be more worried about the loss of Delaney than the English FA, which was never his biggest fan anyway.

BrookieD

VISA Statement - between the lines i ead this as "Seep out or we leave...." First of the big sponsors to step up and the rest will follow


Visa’s Updated Statement on FIFA

May 27, 2015

Our disappointment and concern with FIFA in light of today’s developments is profound. As a sponsor, we expect FIFA to take swift and immediate steps to address these issues within its organization. This starts with rebuilding a culture with strong ethical practices in order to restore the reputation of the games for fans everywhere.

Visa became a sponsor of FIFA because the World Cup is one of the few truly global sporting events with the power to unite people from around the world through a common love of football. Our sponsorship has always focused on supporting the teams, enabling a great fan experience, and inspiring communities to come together and celebrate the spirit of competition and personal achievement – and it is important that FIFA makes changes now, so that the focus remain on these going forward. Should FIFA fail to do so, we have informed them that we will reassess our sponsorship.

- See more at: http://visacorporate.tumblr.com/post/120062181438/visas-updated-statement-on-fifa#sthash.Xx67XahE.dpuf

Kirby

I dont think your reading between the lines matches up with mine. This is my reading of that statement.

"People are mad at the moment. We are pretending to be outraged and concerned but really, we dont care. There is no way we would give up this deal. This sponsorship is just so good for us that FIFA could sell slaves for all we care. But we'll pretend. Because you want us to."