UKC

Fifteen FIFA officials including vive president Webb arrested in Zurich at instigation of US authorities. You've got to love the Americans. They don't mess around when they get the bit between their teeth.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32895057

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/11631966/fifa-executives-arrested...

Hope we get the full perp walk and Blatter gets his comeuppance.

In reply to Postmanpat:

But Blatter won't. Other heads may roll - unlikely, but possible - but Blatter will walk away.

(Disclaimer: I admit to harboring an unrelenting hatred of FIFA. I resent the monopolistic presence of Budweiser Beer at the 2010 World Cup (South Africa produces bloody fine beer, itself!) and some of my taxes are still going to maintenance of the Cape Town stadium which should never have been built. Quatar is just history repeating itself.)

In reply to Xharlie:


>
Yup, Blatter is Teflon man but if 15 of his supporters get locked away I wonder how long he can hang on.

In reply to Postmanpat:

The German magazine Spiegel now reports that Swiss police have searched FIFA headquarters and banks for evidence of corruption in relation to the 2018 and 2022 WC bids. Really looks like a coordinated action when they have everyone in one place.

CB

In reply to Postmanpat:


He was once head the of Valais tourist board. So things could be a lot worse - imagine the implications for alpine climbing if he was still in charge of the Matterhorn

In reply to Postmanpat:

You are kidding right?

It wouldn't surprise me if Blatter himself is behind these raids - pulling the strings from behind the scenes so that anybody else but him gets turfed out.

He will come out, welcoming the chance to root out the bad apples, supporting the action and then all he needs is an election to stand in...

Oh wait...

In reply to Rampikino:



And I thought I was cynical

In reply to Postmanpat:


Shouldn't it be FIFA: the net bulges . . . ? Or even FIFA: back of the net . . . ?

In reply to Rampikino:

My theory is Blatter is a puppet. There are some malevolent forces at work behind the scenes, and he just does whatever he is told. He appears too incompetent to orchestrate this sort of thing.

In reply to Postmanpat:


New FIFA member - Islamic Caliphate, is demanding reform of 'Penalty Shoot-outs'...All sounds a bit ominous....

In reply to Postmanpat:

What I don't understand is what the f*ck this has to do with the Americans. How far does their legal reach extend? Granted they have a FIFA subsidiary, but this seems to be a worldwide investigation.

In reply to John2:

Generally because the yanks take corruption more seriously or so it seems. These are international laws, why isn't the UK doing owt'?


Grubby grubby grubby. I won't be watching sweet FA in Qatar...

In reply to John2:

Possibly because they bid for it recently: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_2022_FIFA_World_Cup_bid

In reply to Postmanpat:

So, what else can all the national associations do now but boycott the World Cups in Russia and Qatar?

Not to would be complicit in the corruption.

I think Blatter will fall for this.....and hopefully go to jail. The US are doing a great job here, and they have some seriously lengthy sentences for this type of thing (think 20 years+). There's officials potentially facing over 20 years each in a US prison. What's the chances that a) one of them knows something that would implicate Blatter and b) one of them doesn't fancy 20 years in jail and will tell the FBI something. I think it's reasonably high.

Also they're talking about massive sums of money I'm pretty sure Blatter would have taken a slice which I'd imagine is pretty hard to conceal completely. I really hope he goes to jail in the US and he accidentally picks up the soap in the shower.

In reply to John2:

The FBI/IRS got US FIFA committee member Chuck Blazer on undeclared tax from secret FIFA payments and persuaded him to record meetings with other FIFA officials.

In reply to GrantM:

Indeed, and I've just read this - 'Both Swiss and US justice officials said the indicted officials had allegedly received $150m worth of bribes from the early 1990s for football tournaments in the US and Latin America.

The alleged crimes were agreed to and prepared in the US via US bank accounts, the office of the Swiss prosecutor said, adding that the Swiss authorities could immediately approve the extradition'.

In reply to Postmanpat:

Qatar's World Cup record:

1930: dnq
1934: dnq
1938: dnq
1950: dnq
1954: dnq
1958: dnq
1962: dnq
1966: dnq
1970: dnq
1974: dnq
1978: dnq
1982: dnq
1986: dnq
1990: dnq
1994: dnq
1998: dnq
2002: dnq
2006: dnq
2010: dnq
2014: dnq
2018: ???
2022: Qualify due to being host nation

*dnq = did not qualify

Can't think why there was any suspicion over this...

Any body hear that press conference? That was more than I expected.

Good idea I think to leave this one to the Americans, they don't mess about with this sort of thing!

Alan

In reply to Bjartur i Sumarhus:




They are so shite. ...even the Guardianistas are allowed to criticise them in CiF ..

In reply to John2:

American action is about corruption in earlier world cup tournaments where they did have involvement.

The Swiss action relates to 2018 & 2022 events.

Seperate investigations

In reply to Postmanpat:

England now 11-10 on to host the 2018 Finals.

Boggy

In reply to Postmanpat:

If the FBI are so good and sticklers to detail, why the fed can't they call the beautiful game by its real name?

Its football not fekin soccer!!!!!!!

In reply to Matt250:


Or maybe, that he repeatedly, on-purpose drops the soap and gets no takers.

In reply to Alan James - Rockfax:



Heard an American woman - attorney general perhaps ? - talking about saving world soccer. Had me shouting at the radio, so not going to win friends in Russia or Qatar !

In reply to Postmanpat:

It's a good job the usa has a clean sheet on bribery, corruption, back handers... With things like the Olympics at Atlanta.
I agree fifa needs sorting. Hopefully the IOC next.

In reply to John2:

because american companies paid some of these bribes ... and they also play football
ohaye, and they have a backbone

In reply to SenzuBean:
£100m lavished on people who didn't deserve a penny of it, with nothing of any footballing value at the end of it all. It is indeed hard to see Brendan Rodgers keeping his job at the top of the organisation for much longer.

In reply to Chris the Tall:

Me too when she came out with something along the lines of "and the corruption even extended to the bidding for the world cup finals". You don't say!?

Glad to see this being confronted though - the Qatari World Cup is beyond ridiculous, particularly with the reported deaths amongst the immigrants building the stadiums. An absolute disgrace.

In reply to John2:


On R4 it was stated that the dollar was the currency of choice for all the bribes. The U.S. take a great deal of interest in what happens with their currency.

Also interesting interview with a journalist who's been working on this for years, and apparently was approached by the FBI over seven years ago.

In reply to Bjartur i Sumarhus:


Shame. Brendan is doing a great job

In reply to Postmanpat:


If they are taken to the American courts, there could well be a plea bargain offer to these 15 officials, very likely to implicate Blatter

IS there honour amongs thieves, or will Blatter be banged up too?

In reply to Postmanpat:

uefa the fa and who knows how many other associations are calling for blatter to go, how much longer can he last?

wouldnt surprise me if the arrested were planning to oust blatter and he set up the raid.

In reply to mark s:


The problem is that Blatter has the support of most of the non European and North American countries-which he has carefully cultivated for years. If UEFA leaves it has to find ways of brining Africa, Asia and South america with it.