FIFA Officials Arrested On Corruption Charges

[Rex Stone]

Until FIFA allows decisions to be made by the benefit of replay I'll never truly trust them.

 

[clockwork orange]

Yep, because of the nature of the game, you'll get plenty of wrong match deciding calls. Without evidence impossible to decide whether it was a honest mistake, a call lacking guts (say affraid to make big call against a big team), or that the ref was directly influenced from the outside. I'm also all for technology in the game to make it fairer.

Sometimes refs just have Monday morning matches. Clive Thomas reffed a 1976 EC SF Czech Republic v Holland. He was in credibly crap, mainly against Holland. After the Czechs scored 2-1 in extra time, van Hanegem refused to kick off and was red carded for that. Was very funny, unless you were Dutch. Still I don't think you should be to eager to call incidents like this corruption or suspect it every single time. Some countries, say Italy, about never lose withpout a conspiracy.

The most fixed match I can remember was Argentina v Peru at the 1978 WC. Brazil were robbed of playing the final.

 

[darkgunner]

You can bet that one of the arrested officials will have some dirt on Blatter and they'll spill it in return for an amnesty if questioned by the FBI. So hopefully we'll see Blatter indicted even if he wins the ****ty election.

 

[albakos]

Some countries, say Italy, about never lose without a conspiracy.
The most fixed match I can remember was Argentina v Peru at the 1978 WC. Brazil were robbed of playing the final.

And then the biggest scandals that I remember is how Italy and Spain were brutally robbed when they played South Korea in 2002. Spain had two clear goals disallowed, while Totti's red card was ridiculous.

 

[clockwork orange]

Yep bad decisions. This time they were right to complain, but not to talk about conspiracies. They do that far to often, (in Holland we say the innkeeper is the way he trusts his guests to be). They can't lose without a conspiracy having occured.

You win some you lose some. The same Totti scored a very dubious penalty v Australia in the next WC.

In the end Italy, like most other big football nations, gets generous refereeing. Big countries/clubs ususally have little to complain about. They still will.

What pissed me off most in refereeing in the past decades was the sick homeadvantage the Mancs got in the Fergus era. No bribery was needed, Fungus was allowed to bully the refs into his camp. The FA and media allowed this.

In a single match, lately away v Barcelona, with that ref, who had never red carded someone, doing it to JVP. That was sickly biassed refereeing throughout the match.

 

[DanDare]

Blatter

this is just farcical. he's been in power for the lionshare of the time these allegations span

 

[Gooner_Stu]

I think the end is in sight to be honest, even is Blatter is re-elected, it wont last. Those voting for him probably have as much to fear, without Sepp they wont be around for long and its a case of needing each other.

What is needed is for someone to be brave. Word is still UEFA might boycott the polling, which I hope they don't. What they need to do is boycott the World Cup and make it known ASAP if they will do, Sponsors will then put the pressure on and the rest should fall afterwards.

If/When Blatter goes, I'll probably throw a celebration party for the occasion. Humanity can cure all sorts of diseases and yet, so far this cretin just doesn't seem to go away...

 

[DJ_Markstar]

Latest pictures from Fifa HQ

 

[Maxim]

Haven't been following this very closely but can someone tell me why the US is leading this?

It's not like there's any shortage of corruption on their own shores to deal with. Did someone miss a payment?

I'm all for FIFA getting their comeuppance but this does seem quite suspicious...

 

[Gooner_Stu]

Haven't been following this very closely but can someone tell me why the US is leading this?

It's not like there's any shortage of corruption on their own shores to deal with. Did someone miss a payment?

I'm all for FIFA getting their comeuppance but this does seem quite suspicious...

There are 2 investigations on going.

The US one is one that has been in the making over 3/4 years and is about (alleged) activities of so many current and former FIFA persons over the span of around 20years. Such activities are from Fraud, Racketeering and various bribes dating back to the early 1990's. The reason the FBI has been doing it is because the monies involved have passed through the US Banking system and is mainly centred (so far) on the CONCACAF personnel.

The 2nd is a Swiss led investigation that stems from the report over the investigations of the 2018 & 2022 World Cup bidding process that was done by Michael Garcia. This started because FIFA handed the document over to the Swiss Authorities last year. The cynic in me believes that this was done so that by doing so, for legal reasons, they couldn't make the document available to be given to those that demanded to see its contents.

They both happened to be thrown in yesterday because it suited both parties and so was done in unison. FIFA were all holed up in a hotel in Switzerland for this conference, and so they were all in one place for the US to request arrests and could be done swiftly as possible. The Swiss have also used this to raid FIFA head quarters for documents for their own investigations and questioning personnel which will continue over the coming weeks. Swiss FIFA members have been told not to leave the country, and that includes dear old Sepp Blatter.

 

[Dokaka]

FIFA basically ****ed over ESPN who're owned by Disney. They pissed off the wrong people, and the people with money came after them.

 

[Maxim]

There are 2 investigations on going.

The US one is one that has been in the making over 3/4 years and is about (alleged) activities of so many current and former FIFA persons over the span of around 20years. Such activities are from Fraud, Racketeering and various bribes dating back to the early 1990's. The reason the FBI has been doing it is because the monies involved have passed through the US Banking system and is mainly centred (so far) on the CONCACAF personnel.

The 2nd is a Swiss led investigation that stems from the report over the investigations of the 2018 & 2022 World Cup bidding process that was done by Michael Garcia. This started because FIFA handed the document over to the Swiss Authorities last year. The cynic in me believes that this was done so that by doing so, for legal reasons, they couldn't make the document available to be given to those that demanded to see its contents.

They both happened to be thrown in yesterday because it suited both parties and so was done in unison. FIFA were all holed up in a hotel in Switzerland for this conference, and so they were all in one place for the US to request arrests and could be done swiftly as possible. The Swiss have also used this to raid FIFA head quarters for documents for their own investigations and questioning personnel which will continue over the coming weeks. Swiss FIFA members have been told not to leave the country, and that includes dear old Sepp Blatter.

Thanks, great summary!

I've stumbled across the work of David squires on this, hilarious:

http://thesunshineroom.com/?s=fifa&submit=Search

he's got loads more on his twitter account @squires_david

 

[David Smith]

Since when does FBI have such jurisdiction to indict FIFA officials in Zurich?

 

[blaze_of_glory]

Latest pictures from Fifa HQ

Whats the problem? Just the spartan furnishings of your standard run of the mill non-profit organization.

 

[burnsjed]

Since when does FBI have such jurisdiction to indict FIFA officials in Zurich?

When they launder money through U.S banks

 

[DJ_Markstar]

Since when does FBI have such jurisdiction to indict FIFA officials in Zurich?

This is why.

 

[spartandre217]

I'm not buying any of this charade. Nobody cared when Brazil, South Korea or Germany greased palms everywhere to host a World Cup, now suddenly, coincidentally shortly before Russia hosts one, the FBI of all ****ing people cares about football and "uncovers" what everyone and their dog already knew.

Even if they managed to clean up the mess that is FIFA I don't believe for a second that football will become any cleaner for it. The next generation of corrupt ****s at the helm of the sport in Platini and his cronies is in the blocks already, and even if those were ousted too after another half a century (or however long Blatter is in power now) a corporation like Adidas would find someone else to ruin the sport for everyone.

Think the issue is the slave labor and gross human rights violations more than anything else, as well as getting their hands on Chuck Blazer a few years back

 

[jerome2158]

This whole ordeal can't be true at all, why FIFA just recently released a report saying that FIFA isn't corrupt! My goodness!

I think the money aspect was finally hitting the US, and that's why action is being taken.

FIFA as an organization must continue to exist. I don't want it to go so badly that in a few years we're watching something bizarre like the "WLOSPC Tournament of Countries" instead of the world cup.

keep the name, fire everyone working there. Start over.

 

[The_Roadrunner]

Its clear what needs to happen.

Blatter absolutely needs to step-down/be forcefully removed. The bid for at least 2022 in Qatar needs to be rescinded and a completely new bidding process needs to be set-up.

There needs to be an outside board of oversight perhaps made up of representatives of sponsors (like VISA who released a statement against FIFA) and players associations (former players) and install some form of independent investigations.

Without Blatter and his crony cohort disappearing from the organization, without Qatar bid being retracted and without some form of independent oversight of FIFA then the organization is doomed because its incentive structure is set up incorrectly. There are too many incentives for corruption that need to be removed.

 

[Sanchez11]

Either way he will crumble if he gets re eclected things will get worse. One way or another he will end up jail. Hes worked for fifa since 1975 and hes telling the world hes knows nothing about fraud, bungs, bribery etc. Like the us attorny general said this is the tip of the iceberg!