Footballing body rocked after seven arrests
The FIFA presidential elections will still go ahead on Friday it’s been heard despite the recent news of seven members being arrested.
The footballing body were rocked with news earlier today that seven of it’s members would be arrested for charges of receiving billions of US dollars in bribes.
Not only have seven members been arrested due to the bribes, the investigations will now go into the decisions regarding the 2018 and 2022 World Cup, which were given to Russia and Qatar respectively.
Despite the latest reports, the FIFA election will still go ahead as planned on Friday as current president Sepp Blatter takes on Prince Ali bin al-Hussein. If Blatter wins, it would be his fifth term as president.
Although the latest reports of bribery are damaging for FIFA, their communications director Walter De Gregorio, believes it’s a good thing as he believes the organisation is still reforming.
“This is good for Fifa,” he told a news conference following news of the arrests. “It hurts, it is not easy, but it confirms we are on the right track.”
Speaking on the charges, a New York attorney general, has released a brief statement on why FIFA has been brought into question and why seven members have been arrested.
“The indictment alleges corruption that is rampant, systemic and deep-rooted,” said Loretta Lynch.
“It spans at least two generations of soccer officials who, as alleged, have abused their positions of trust to acquire millions of dollars in bribes and kickbacks.”
Below you can see the charges in full facing FIFA as listed by BBC Sport.
- Nine current or former Fifa officials, including Jeffrey Webb and former Fifa vice president Jack Warner, charged with corruption
- Four individual and two corporate defendants – including former Concacaf general secretary Chuck Blazer and Warner’s son Darayn plead guilty
- Alleged scheme “fostered a culture of corruption and greed that created uneven playing field”
- “Undisclosed and illegal payments, kickbacks and bribes became a way of doing business at Fifa” – US DOJ
- Majority of scheme involved corruption over media and marketing rights to matches and tournaments.
Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt – @AlexsArticles
