Police swoop on FIFA

International Football/Football World Wide - General Discussion

Postby laza » Wed May 27, 2015 9:31 am

Really like to hope this is first kick in the door which will bring  down the whole rotten house but I won't be holding my breath

---------------------------------------------


FIFA officials arrested in Zurich
By Graham Dunbar
17:52 AEST Wed May 27

Six soccer officials were arrested and detained by Swiss police on Wednesday pending extradition at the request of US authorities after a raid at a luxury hotel in Zurich.

Sepp Blatter was not among them.

The case involves bribes "totalling more than $US100 ($A129.31) million" linked to commercial deals dating back to the 1990s for soccer tournaments in the United States and Latin America, the Swiss Federal Office of Justice said in a statement.

It was unclear if the probe was linked to the 1994 World Cup hosted by the United States.

The officials are in Switzerland for the FIFA congress and presidential election, where Blatter is widely expected to win a fifth term at the helm of the governing body of world soccer.

"He is not one of the ones arrested. He is not involved at all," FIFA spokesman Walter de Gregorio told The Associated Press.

"We are trying to find out more from the police."

Blatter is scheduled to attend a meeting of the Confederation of African Football this morning at a different downtown Zurich hotel.

FIFA called a news conference for 11am (7pm AEST) at its headquarters and the Swiss justice department said it expected to confirm the nationalities of those detained later on Wednesday morning.

The arrests were made at the lakeside Baur au Lac Hotel in downtown Zurich, long favoured as a place for senior FIFA officials to stay. It was the stage for intense lobbying for votes ahead of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup hosting decisions in December 2010.

Among the people arrested in Zurich was Costa Rica soccer federation president Eduardo Li, according to the New York Times. He was later seen leaving the hotel in a car with law enforcement officials.

Li was elected to the FIFA executive committee in March and will formally join the Blatter-chaired panel on Friday.

The North American regional body, known as CONCACAF, reported itself to US tax authorities in 2012. Then based in New York, the organisation had not paid taxes over several years when its president was Jack Warner of Trinidad and Tobago and secretary general was Chuck Blazer of the United States.

Warner left soccer in 2011 to avoid FIFA sanctions in a bribery scandal during that year's presidential election. Blazer left in 2013 and is reported by the New York Daily News to be cooperating with the FBI in a probe of corruption in soccer.

Warner's successor as CONCACAF leader and FIFA vice president, Jeffery Webb of the Cayman Islands, was staying at the Baur au Lac this week. It was unclear if he was detained.

The Swiss Federal Office of Justice said in its statement that US authorities suspect the six arrested officials of having received or paid bribes totalling millions of dollars and that the crimes were agreed to and prepared in the US, and payments carried out via US banks.

The FOJ said the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York is investigating the individuals on suspicion of the acceptance of bribes and kick-backs between the early 1990s and now.

"The bribery suspects - representatives of sports media and sports promotion firms - are alleged to have been involved in schemes to make payments to the soccer functionaries (FIFA delegates) and other functionaries of FIFA sub-organisations - totalling more than USD100 million," the FOJ statement said.

"In return, it is believed that they received media, marketing, and sponsorship rights in connection with soccer tournaments in Latin America."

A statement in German added that the probe involved tournaments in the United States.

The Zurich Cantonal Police were questioning the detainees.

International media gathered at the street entrance of the Baur au Lac in scenes reminiscent of the World Cup votes won by Russia and Qatar more than four years ago.

Then, former President Bill Clinton was inside meeting FIFA voters who later rejected the American bid in favour of Qatar, and Britain's Prince William was part of the losing English bid
Forever Red in this life and the next
User avatar
laza
>> LFC Elite Member <<
 
Posts: 8408
Joined: Thu Jul 29, 2004 11:17 am
Location: The Sharkbait captial of the world

Postby 7_Kewell » Thu May 28, 2015 8:41 pm

Confirmation of what we've all suspected for years. Pity that cretin Blatter hasn't been done too.
“You cannot transfer the heart and soul of Liverpool Football Club, although I am sure there are many clubs who would like to buy it.”
User avatar
7_Kewell
>> LFC Elite Member <<
 
Posts: 13320
Joined: Fri Apr 16, 2004 11:04 pm
Location: Here, there, everywhere

Postby Azalea » Fri May 29, 2015 8:18 am

Image

This is just the beginning, this will fall to the presidents of the strongest clubs in the world.
User avatar
Azalea
LFC Basic Member
 
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed May 06, 2015 9:59 am

Postby damjan193 » Fri May 29, 2015 4:09 pm

Image
damjan193
LFC Super Member
 
Posts: 8400
Joined: Wed May 13, 2009 10:25 pm

Postby laza » Sat May 30, 2015 2:12 am

LOL they are almost as funny as Blatters victory speech :D
Forever Red in this life and the next
User avatar
laza
>> LFC Elite Member <<
 
Posts: 8408
Joined: Thu Jul 29, 2004 11:17 am
Location: The Sharkbait captial of the world

Postby C-R » Tue Jun 02, 2015 5:52 pm

and he has resigned !!!


get in  :buttrock  :buttrock  :buttrock

We will soon anounce him as new director of football  :nod
User avatar
C-R
>> LFC Elite Member <<
 
Posts: 6224
Joined: Sat Jul 24, 2004 5:29 pm

Postby fivecups » Tue Jun 02, 2015 7:58 pm

Brilliant watching this unfold, similarities to the cycling a few years ago.

FIFA thought they were untouchable, everyone knew how corrupt they were, they didn't care we knew.

I'm going to enjoy them getting absolutely nailed and hope to see Blatter spending his last years in the slammer.

We need to disband this organisation and start again with a fully transparent not for profit organisation.
User avatar
fivecups
>> LFC Elite Member <<
 
Posts: 4246
Joined: Sun May 23, 2004 12:32 am
Location: Belfast

Postby laza » Wed Jun 03, 2015 1:12 am

Waking up to that news was the best thing that has happened in the footy all season
Forever Red in this life and the next
User avatar
laza
>> LFC Elite Member <<
 
Posts: 8408
Joined: Thu Jul 29, 2004 11:17 am
Location: The Sharkbait captial of the world

Postby killerp » Wed Jun 03, 2015 1:16 am

This is a warning to the next FIFA President, accept bribes in bitcoins only!
User avatar
killerp
 
Posts: 1454
Joined: Thu Nov 05, 2009 2:36 am
Location: Australia

Postby Reg » Wed Jun 03, 2015 1:34 am

Great news. No only will they find out whose been dirty at FIFA but also all the corrupt officials in the worldwide associations who have been taking the money. I would also like them to audit the 3 BILLION quid world cup tv rights money which makes a 10 million South Africa payment look like buttons.
User avatar
Reg
>> LFC Elite Member <<
 
Posts: 13471
Joined: Sat May 20, 2006 12:24 am
Location: Singapore

Postby damjan193 » Wed Jun 03, 2015 2:47 pm

Resignation is definitely not enough. The old fart should be behind bars.
damjan193
LFC Super Member
 
Posts: 8400
Joined: Wed May 13, 2009 10:25 pm

Postby ycsatbjywtbiastkamb » Wed Jun 03, 2015 4:32 pm

You watch Man United take advantage of the chaos to mooch their way into position's of influence though.
Greg Dyke (current head of the F.A) was a non-executive director at Old Trafford before he joined the BBC, now you watch Fergusons right hand man David Gill get one of the top jobs at FIFA, it's a cert to happen.
ycsatbjywtbiastkamb
LFC Guru Member
 
Posts: 12248
Joined: Fri Mar 09, 2012 6:54 pm
Location: Liverpool

Postby 7_Kewell » Thu Jun 04, 2015 12:03 pm

[quote="fivecups » Tue Jun 02, 2015 6:58 pm"
We need to disband this organisation and start again with a fully transparent not for profit organisation.[/quote]
This  :buttrock
“You cannot transfer the heart and soul of Liverpool Football Club, although I am sure there are many clubs who would like to buy it.”
User avatar
7_Kewell
>> LFC Elite Member <<
 
Posts: 13320
Joined: Fri Apr 16, 2004 11:04 pm
Location: Here, there, everywhere


Return to Football World Wide - General Discussion

 


  • Related topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests