1. Welcome to SportsJournalists.com, a friendly forum for discussing all things sports and journalism.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register for a free account to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Access to private conversations with other members.
    • Fewer ads.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

FIFA Officials Arrested on Corruption Charges; Face Extradition to U.S.

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by britwrit, May 27, 2015.

  1. britwrit

    britwrit Well-Known Member

    What it says on the tin:

    http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/27/s...p-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0
     
  2. Twirling Time

    Twirling Time Well-Known Member

    Blatter has not been arrested.

    Yet.
     
  3. Webster

    Webster Well-Known Member

    Looks like there are two inquires -- the EDNY one, which is largely focused on TV rights for CONCACAF and COMEBOL events and the Swiss investigation of the 2018 and 2022 bidding process. The EDNY indictments do mention that a major sportswear company -- I assume Nike -- has some issues with the contract to outfit the Brazilian team and that there appear to some looking into bribes regarding the 2010 selection of South Africa as the host country.

    I think that Blatter doesn't have much to worry about yet on the EDNY investigation. Yet being the operative word.
     
  4. Songbird

    Songbird Well-Known Member

    How do you take down Blatter? You arrest a ton of guys beneath him and scare the shit out of the entire organization so that he doesn't get many votes in the next election.

    These arrests ensured a new FIFA president. You don't have to arrest a king to steal his thunder. Terrific tactical move.
     
  5. Ace

    Ace Well-Known Member

    So these guys are arrested for accepting tens of millions of dollars they did not earn. And NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell legally makes $40+ million a year running a non-profit that can dangle franchises and Super Bowls in front of greedy cities.

    Isn't America great?
     
    BitterYoungMatador2 likes this.
  6. UPChip

    UPChip Well-Known Member

    I'm not so sure anything that doesn't end up with Blatter in a jail cell will do the trick. When there are 200-some FIFA members, the vast majority of which are dirt poor (nations/federations), Sepp's going to get their support as long as the checks clear.
     
  7. Webster

    Webster Well-Known Member

    I do think that there is a difference between the practice of giving developmental cash to less well off FAs to ensure their loyalty and outright bribery.
     
  8. Michael_ Gee

    Michael_ Gee Well-Known Member

    Sure there is. And in theory, giving such money is what FIFA ought to be doing. But the officials of those poor FAs use FIFA membership to feather their own nests while Blatter turns a blind eye to maintain the power that is his obvious obsession. He may never have taken an illegal dime.
     
  9. UPChip

    UPChip Well-Known Member

    I really think the best that can be hoped for from this is that the evidence of Qatar 2022 corruption is so blatant that they can't help but reopen the bidding, and even with 10 smoking guns, FIFA may refuse to do it out of hubris.
     
  10. Webster

    Webster Well-Known Member

    It's not like the decision to award WC 2018 to Russia was squeaky clean. It just has the benefit of being far less absurd than the Qatar decision.
     
    YankeeFan likes this.
  11. jr/shotglass

    jr/shotglass Well-Known Member

    Ace, there's a reason their criminals get extradited to here. ;)
     
    Ace likes this.
  12. UPChip

    UPChip Well-Known Member

    Agreed. Not to mention the fact that they have Putin and the bomb.

    I always kind of figured this might be the sort of endgame on Qatar — they got their hands on a bunch of oil money and now they can pull the abort handle if they so choose.

    I mean, that World Cup is still seven years away. Each of the 2002, 2006 and 2010 Cups were awarded six years out, and if you had it in US football stadiums, you probably could pull it off in much less time. Granted the World Cup (and the World) is dramatically different now, but Mexico pulled it off in 1986 three years out after Colombia, shockingly, backed out. And that was Mexico in the mid-1980s.
     
Draft saved Draft deleted

Share This Page