FIFA Officials Arrested

[sydney]

i can see the Americans going through fifa like a dose of industrial strength laxative........hope they all get massive fines , all bribes to be repaid and all immediately sacked with dishonourable mention......pricks.

 

[sydney]

It's deeply disappointing that FIFA have been targeted in such fashion. They bring smiles to many, many millions of deprived people.

yeah for a few months , then move on usually leaving a bit of a mess behind them.

 

[Goldstone1976]

Isn't he banned from leaving the country? I wouldn't have thought Blatter would go anywhere at the moment, certainly not to any country with an extradition treaty with the US, if he stays in Switzerland, he can't be extradited

Switzerland has had an extradition treaty with the U.S. since the mid 90s. In common with most treaties the U.S. has to prove "dual criminality", ie that the charges that the U.S. have laid are also crimes in Switzerland. Unsurprisingly, they are in this case. It's true that it's been pretty hard to extradite people from Switzerland on tax-related charges (due to failure on the dual criminality point); that's why the charges that the U.S. have made are, very largely, not tax-related.

I fully expect the charged individuals to be extradited (after some legal to-ing and fro-ing) and that, once in the U.S., tax-related charges to be laid as well (since the head of the IRS was at the press conference headed by the attorney general).

 

[AlbionPics&SouthCoastTwit]

Willkommen in die Vereinigten Staaten , Herr Blatter!

 

[jakarta]

Nicked from the Sussex CCC Unofficial Messageboard.......

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has confirmed that Qatar remains the birthplace of football and no investigation will change that. Criminal charges against senior FIFA officials, and investigations into the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids, will not have any effect on Qatar’s proud history as the mother of the beautiful game.

Blatter said: "Every since Yusuf al-Webb Ellis first kicked a ball, made from an inflated camel’s bladder, between two sand dunes in 1320 the Qatari nation has been football mad. “So many moments of Qatar’s history are footballing ones; the Bin Matthews final of 1953, the benevolent rule of Emir Pelé under which the country gained independence, and of course the 1966 World Cup win against the United Arab Emirates.

“Who can forget the famous commentary, ‘Some of the crowd are on the pitch, they will be flogged and their wives will be flogged and they will die like dogs. It is over for them now."
Blatter confirmed that the 2022 World Cup, which will take place in Qatar’s green and pleasant valleys which are currently off-limits to journalists, will take place as planned. He added: “And I will still be president. Or there will be no more football. It is your choice.”

 

[Hillian1]

It's deeply disappointing that FIFA have been targeted in such fashion. They bring smiles to many, many millions of deprived people.

I know this is sarcastic, but it reminded me of this.

 

[Gwylan]

Switzerland has had an extradition treaty with the U.S. since the mid 90s. In common with most treaties the U.S. has to prove "dual criminality", ie that the charges that the U.S. have laid are also crimes in Switzerland. Unsurprisingly, they are in this case. It's true that it's been pretty hard to extradite people from Switzerland on tax-related charges (due to failure on the dual criminality point); that's why the charges that the U.S. have made are, very largely, not tax-related.

I fully expect the charged individuals to be extradited (after some legal to-ing and fro-ing) and that, once in the U.S., tax-related charges to be laid as well (since the head of the IRS was at the press conference headed by the attorney general).

Thanks for the clarification. I still, however, would put money on Blatter not being extradited to the US to face any charges. The others will, I'm sure, but I don't think any of them are Swiss citizens.

There's a big gap between theory and practice when it comes to extradition - just ask Julian Assange

 

[KZNSeagull]

I know this is sarcastic, but it reminded me of this.

View attachment 65658

You could just replace Brazil with South Africa too - I have yet to come across a lasting legacy in this country that benefitted the poverty stricken masses.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Radio 4's PM interviewed Panorama journalist Andrew Jennings this evening. He didn't pull any punches and was scathingly funny. Interview starts at about thirteen and half minutes, although the programme's earlier news coverage also allows for great schadenfreude:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05w3wfh

David Bernstein also appears later in the programme advocating for a withdrawal from Fifa.

And a neat swipe at BBC Sport - who seem to have discovered in recent days that something was rotten at the heart of FIFA.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

[tweet]603712178743595008[/tweet]

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Shameful.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Unless Blatter goes, and the 2018 and 2022 votes are re-run, then I hope UEFA leaves FIFA.

 

[Easy 10]

The rumblings of discontent from major sponsors is great to hear. Paddy Power are now running a book on which major sponsor will drop first (VISA are 5/6 favourites, they came out pretty strongly last night saying “our disappointment and concern with FIFA is profound” and “should FIFA fail to make changes now, we have informed them that we will reassess our sponsorship”. BOOM.

I just love the way Blatter and the Press Officer guy are trotting out the “this is great, this is fine, we’re so glad this corruption will be weeded out”. Its full-on Chemical Ali mode, with the allied tanks moving around in the background. No question of the 2018 and 2022 decisions being revisited. The election will go ahead tomorrow as planned. They are so desperately trying to pass this all off as “business as usual”, like they always do, but this now feels very very different. Arrests and extradition orders, officials smuggled away by police under the cover of blankets, sponsors getting increasingly anxious…this is a monumental disaster for them, I cannot see how Blatter can possibly survive this, or how FIFA can continue in its current form.

Best news story in years, this is gonna be a LOT of fun to follow over the coming weeks and months.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

 

[KZNSeagull]

The rumblings of discontent from major sponsors is great to hear. Paddy Power are now running a book on which major sponsor will drop first (VISA are 5/6 favourites, they came out pretty strongly last night saying “our disappointment and concern with FIFA is profound” and “should FIFA fail to make changes now, we have informed them that we will reassess our sponsorship”. BOOM.

I just love the way Blatter and the Press Officer guy are trotting out the “this is great, this is fine, we’re so glad this corruption will be weeded out”. Its full-on Chemical Ali mode, with the allied tanks moving around in the background. No question of the 2018 and 2022 decisions being revisited. The election will go ahead tomorrow as planned. They are so desperately trying to pass this all off as “business as usual”, like they always do, but this now feels very very different. Arrests and extradition orders, officials smuggled away by police under the cover of blankets, sponsors getting increasingly anxious…this is a monumental disaster for them, I cannot see how Blatter can possibly survive this, or how FIFA can continue in its current form.

Best news story in years, this is gonna be a LOT of fun to follow over the coming weeks and months.

It's amazing isn't it. Even now, Blatter and his PR machine cannot see why he cannot remain in his post. His arrogance is supreme.

Hopefully UEFA will decide not to bother going to tomorrow's vote.

 

[Simster]

Best news story in years, this is gonna be a LOT of fun to follow over the coming weeks and months.

I know what you mean, but when the actual human cost of corruption comes to light, it is going to be difficult to stomach. It certainly won't feel like FUN.

This is an organisation with $1bn sitting in a slush fund, remember. That is money that could be used to fund football projects around the world to make the world a better place. Instead it is dipped into to buy off corrupt officials, to ensure tin pot places like Qatar get to host tournaments (at a cost of 1200 lives and counting) and to feather the nests of dreadful men around the world in exchange for votes.

 

[KZNSeagull]

Gary Lineker ‏@GaryLineker 55m55 minutes ago
Presenting #HIGNFY for the first time. Recording this evening. A little nervous. I just wish there were some football stories in the news.

 

[Stuart Munday]

Now the sponsors are getting involved it must mean the end of Blatter.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Unless Blatter goes, and the 2018 and 2022 votes are re-run, then I hope UEFA leaves FIFA.

I can't see 2018 being re-run. Firstly Russia does at least have a case to host the World Cup, secondly - it is only three years away and no decision is going to be made in the next few weeks or even months.

 

[Hillian1]

I know what you mean, but when the actual human cost of corruption comes to light, it is going to be difficult to stomach. It certainly won't feel like FUN.

This is a not for profit organisation with $1bn sitting in a slush fund, remember. That is money that could be used to fund football projects around the world to make the world a better place. Instead it is dipped into to buy off corrupt officials, to ensure tin pot places like Qatar get to host tournaments (at a cost of 1200 lives and counting) and to feather the nests of dreadful men around the world in exchange for votes.

Just added my favourite bit to that Simster.