FIFA Officials Arrested For Corruption

[kc78]

This is certainly an interesting move. Everyone has known that FIFA is terribly corrupt. I'm surprised to see the US actually move on this. If they don't arrest Sepp Blatter however nothing will change within FIFA as he is the main head of all of them.

Thoughts?

http://www.espnfc.com/fifa-world-cup/story/2468193/fifa-officials-arrested-over-corruption-charges

 

[fsUTampa]

They've stressed this "is not over yet", so I'm holding out hope that Blatter gets his, too. FIFA standing strong saying elections will go on on Friday, and that 2018 and 2022 will still be in Russia/Qatar, but all of that sounds like immediate reaction to batten down the hatches on their part.

 

[runkpanole]

CONCACAF headquarters are being searched in Miami as well.

 

[seminoleed]

As Arte Johnson would have said, "Verrry interesting!"

 

[kooterridesagain]

I don't expect cups to be taken away but this is awesome! I never expected a single FIFA exec to sweat and the same searches are going on in European locations, many sleepless nights ahead for Blatter and the goons. That makes me smile no matter if this is as exciting as it gets. And kudos to the Swiss for helping out

 

[kc78]

Further reading makes it sound like the US is only going after CONCACAF/CONMEBOL members who used US banks to move the bribe money as that's all we have leverage against. However other countries (Including Switzerland) are looking into the other members more specifically related to the awarding of Russia/Qatar. I hope every single one of them goes down. Its one thing to cheat. Everyone expects that they take bribes. But the awarding of the cups to Russia and Qatar, especially at the same time, was simply rubbing it in everyone's face. They didn't even attempt to be legitimate on those two. Everyone goes 10 miles an hour over the speed limit and gets away with it, but this is effectively going 120.

 

[joenole1986]

...couldn't happen to a more deserving company: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...-u-s-claim-of-fifa-bribery-in-brazil-ia73w47c

 

[Nole3324]

Just shocking!

 

[West Duval Nole]

Why aren't they naming the company? Nike makes the official Brazil National team uniforms.

 

[SallySeminole]

...couldn't happen to a more deserving company: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...-u-s-claim-of-fifa-bribery-in-brazil-ia73w47c

What's next? Oregon athletics?

 

[Helluvanengineer]

What's next? Oregon athletics?

 

[Teema]

I wonder how much corruption is at the local level to have such a large number of universities to accept their product and so called improvements. I believe it likely exceeds the payment to the universities to buying individual influence.

 

[FSU_Nole_89]

No surprise with this.

 

[JohnnieHolmesNole]

No surprise with this.

This. Soccer has been a corrupt/dirty sport for decades. I suspect that all of the manufacturers around the sport -- Nike, Puma, Adidas, etc. -- are all six-of-one-half-dozen-of-another. No surprise here.

 

[Archetype]

Not surprising.

This is minor compared to the other actions Nike has taken.

 

[FSU_Nole_89]

In all honesty, bribery is an accepted and required practice in many countries including those in South America, East Asia, and the Middle East. That still doesn't excuse the child sweatshop labor practices which, from what I hear, are still occurring. Oh, sorry, those are subcontractors. I guess that makes it okay.

 

[kooterridesagain]

The next question is why did us pres Gulati vote for Blatter in 2011 and why does he keep defending him. Uh oh....

 

[ZZ828]

You have to think they will uncover all sorts of crap from at least the 2022 bidding process. If and when they do, there should be a demand from all the major soccer nations for an immediate revote with a threat to boycott if there is not one. Same goes for the 2018 process.

 

[Bill From Tampa]

Question. If those officials had not laundered the money and reported in on tax returns, would they still have been arrested? The charges that keep getting mentioned seem to involve how they used US banks and that is what got them in trouble.

 

[kooterridesagain]

Sadly that may be accurate. Human rights issues no one seems concerned with but tax evasion, ala al Capone just won't stand.

 

[Bill From Tampa]

That's what I thought.