Posted on 05/31/2015 12:07:49 AM PDT by bob_denard
Size of 2008 transfers outlined in indictment said to require approval from a small group at FIFA’s highest levels
Ten million dollars in transfer payments were sent from FIFA bank accounts in Switzerland to a Caribbean soccer organization in 2008 and used to pay bribes to secure votes for South Africa’s bid to host the World Cup in 2010, the Department of Justice’s indictment alleges, in what could emerge as the most direct connection between the Zurich-based organization’s executive offices and the corruption probe shaking the world’s most popular sport.
The size of the transfers, allegedly sent in three installments, meant they needed signed approval from within a small group of executives who work at FIFA’s highest levels, former and current FIFA officials say. That raises questions about the approvals and whether the executives who signed off knew their purpose.
FIFA has declined comment on any specific allegations made in the U.S. Justice Department’s indictment of 14 officials and executives of soccer confederations, released this week.
(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...
This will continue for months...with probably forty guys facing charges within Europe and the US. The odds of the 2022 Qatar World Cup games occurring become questionable.
Our federal law enforcement is wandering around a pitch located who knows where.
Great set of priorities
Just another soccer mob story
The World Cup game occurring at all, or occurring in Qatar?
I for one hope that the World Cup goes forward in Quatar so that we may enjoy an entertaining and epic display of FIFA’s corruption, incompetence, and general rottenness set in the sheikdom’s gilded and chromed venues.
The 2018 games in Russia might be a problem (I’m giving it a ten-percent chance of getting cancelled). Qatar is different because of the hostile forced schedule change (games ending the week prior to Xmas rather than early August). Clubs throughout Europe don’t like the change of the schedule and want some financial compensation....which FIFA said absolutely no cash reward for changing the schedule.
My humble guess is that six to eight clubs will Europe will just skip out for the Qatar games. If the Germans, Italians and Dutch were to skip...competition goes down an enormous step and viewership would be a problem for any TV network to make a profit. Qatar will fill the stadiums, period.....but if your TV viewership goes down by half...that’s the end of FIFA profits for future games.
“I for one hope that the World Cup goes forward in Quatar ~~”
Same here; will be an interesting engineering exercise if nothing else...
Blatter changed the World Cup bid rules again and is most likely giving the 2026 World Cup to Europe as a party favor to keep them on his plantation. Looks like nothing will happen.
But the 2026 bid deal locked in already for Spain....right? That was the giveaway to get their votes already.
I hope so. On all counts.
Are you sure on that. I believe that UEFA, except for Putin’s stooges, voted in mass for Prince Ali. Platini has already called for Blatter to step down. Spain would be in the camp with the rest of UEFA, especially over a winter World Cup in 2022, and Euorpe’s loss of control over the game to the Third World under Blatter.
In 2008 the Democrat/Progressive congress needed a scandal/
They rolled out their Steroids in Baseball circus, held congressional inquiries.
Ethics and values have become passe and I would claim further that they were purposely made passe by actions of so called “elites”. Corruption has become embedded norm unfortunately like a cancer in our societies.
Fighting to minimize corruption might eliminate many of the other issues that appear to be based upon shear incompetence.
The Patriot Act would serve us better if it focused on transparency in govt and Congress and illegals than spying on American citizens.
Like the other Gulf states, oceans of cash permit Quatar to hire the best engineers and architects to implement the most foolish and extravagant of buildings and urban plans. One day, when the cash runs out, the whole souffle will collapse and offer another set of ruins for the desert to claim.
Who believes that the OIC is much different from FIFA?
The WC in Brazil last year saw the building of hundreds of millions in new stadia in cities that cannot support them. The same country with flavelas.
Now they have the OIC boys to play with for ‘16.
It’s almost as profitable as starting a FAMILY CHARITY.
I hope Qatar gets cancelled, I heard the poor slaves there are dying constructing in the heat.
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