14 FIFA Officials Arrested on Corruption Charges

[Spursidol]

"Including FIFA Vice President Jeffrey Webb"

Blatter simply has to go.

Think this tweet could interest a few investigators

Joseph S Blatter‏@SeppBlatter·Apr 16
Congratulations to @jeffreywebb for his re-election as @CONCACAF President and FIFA Vice-President! This shows the trust in his leadership.

 

[Gbspurs]

The thing about blatter is he clearly thinks he is untouchable or he would have disappeared years ago instead of trying for re-election. Reminds me of a mafia boss.

 

[ExpatFan]

More trouble for Fifa?
Posted at 9:35
Swiss legal authorities have announced that criminal proceedings have opened "against persons unknown on suspicion of criminal mismanagement and of money laundering in connection with the allocation of the 2018 and 2022 football World Cups".

Electronic data and documents have been seized from Fifa's head office in Zurich.


The latest from Press Association's Martyn Ziegler is that 10 Fifa members who took part in the vote for the 2018-2022 World Cups are to be questioned by Swiss police.

Interesting... because - quite extraordinarily - Qatar got 10 votes in the very first round of voting for the 2022 WC. Only one short of the required majority at the first hurdle. Unheard of before.

 

[gilzeantheking]

News conference streamed live on BBC (when it starts) put back to 10.15 gmt

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/32698190

 

[Amo]

http://www.theguardian.com/football...officials-arrested-on-corruption-charges-live

Sepp Blatter – who is “not involved at all”, according to Fifa’s spokesperson Walter de Gregorio – had been due at an early morning Confederation of African Football meeting at a different Zurich hotel. Meanwhile, Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, his rival for the presidency, has arguably misjudged the public mood by calling this “a sad day for football”. His statement added: “Clearly this is a developing story, the details of which are still emerging. It would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.”

Earlier in the week Prince Ali’s election team contacted police after claiming it had been approached by an individual who said he could deliver 47 votes at Friday’s election, and provide them with “what appeared to be illegally obtained” information relating to Blatter’s personal financial activities. The votes offer was rejected, the campaign added, and Fifa’s ethics committee was not informed.

 

[gilzeantheking]

Breaking news on SSN - from Reuters


US Justice department say those arrested face charges of money laundering, racketeering and wire fraud.

 

[Danners9]

here's one of them, Jose Maria Marin of Brazil, pocketing a medal in 2012. Not sure which tournament.

 

[THFCSPURS19]

I hope FIFA gets torn apart. Figo was right with everything he said.

That is all.

 

[talkshowhost86]

Breaking news on SSN - from Reuters


US Justice department say those arrested face charges of money laundering, racketeering and wire fraud.

Racketeering?

Isn't that something that stopped in the 1920s? Have they also got involved in bootlegging?

 

[tiger666]

Sepp Blatter running molasses from Canada.

 

[Lilbaz]

Is it a tactic by Fifa to get the person with the most boring monotone voice to do the press conferences? After about 30 seconds I no longer cared about the corruption charges. After a minute I lost the will to live. I had to turn over before I slit my wrists.

 

[Spurger King]

Racketeering?

Isn't that something that stopped in the 1920s? Have they also got involved in bootlegging?

Johnny Tightlips sang like a canary about FIFA when the Feds collared him in the local speakeasy, seeee...

 

[longtimespur]

I just don't comprehend how Blatter isn't included. You mean he doesn't know what goes on below him? Surely his job incorporates that.

 

[gilzeantheking]

The spokesman's comments on Blatter

Walter De Gregorio: "The damaged part are all of us. Football fans for sure but the president is not involved, how can you say he has to step down? He is the president, if he is re-elected then he is the president for the next four years."

Of course he will


"He is focused on the congress. The stress factor is higher today than it was yesterday but he is quite relaxed because he is not involved. All the rest he can accept what will happen. It was Fifa on 18 November that asked the general attorney to open the case."

 

[Lilbaz]

I just don't comprehend how Blatter isn't included. You mean he doesn't know what goes on below him? Surely his job incorporates that.

He probably started it. Shifting shit onto his rivals allies.

 

[talkshowhost86]

I just don't comprehend how Blatter isn't included. You mean he doesn't know what goes on below him? Surely his job incorporates that.

Even if he can't be proved to be directly involved, if these guys are all found guilty then it is at least an extreme act of negligence on Blatter's part to 'not know' about what's going on so high up in the organisation for which he is president.

He'll have covered himself enough that he isn't touched by this on a criminal level, but professionally surely he can now at least be ousted as president.

 

[gilzeantheking]

From BBC

Here's a round-up of what we have discovered from Fifa's news conference so far:

• Fifa insists Friday's presidential election will go ahead as planned.

• Fifa spokesman Walter De Gregorio: "The president (Sepp Blatter) is not involved, how can you say he has to step down? He is the president, if he is re-elected then he is the president for the next four years."

• De Gregorio confirms the 2018 and 2022 World Cups will go ahead as planned in Russia and Qatar.

• De Gregorio: "While the timing may not obviously be the best, Fifa welcomes this process and co-operates fully."

• "It is certainly a difficult moment for Fifa," acknowledges De Gregorio.

• "You don't believe me but I say again this for Fifa is good," he adds. "It's not good in terms of image and reputation but in terms of cleaning up this is good."

 

[Danners9]

for the time being, this remains the best Blatter video..

 

[theShiznit]

The biggest indictment of Blatter (i'll eat Paddy Ashdown's hat if he's not involved) is that even if all 10 of those charged were found to have sold their votes to Qatar winning them the vote, he would still say the WC won't be moved elsewhere.

Probably because he's got the biggest amount to lose...

 

[eddiev14]

This story ends with Blatter going to jail. When it'll be that it eventually happens, who knows.

However, I just get the feeling his determination to hang on and spit in the face of a World that wants him punished just cannot end well for him.

Surely now the FBI are involved at least one of these delegates will crumble under pressure and lift the lid.

Get the popcorn out, this will be fun!