Well, this should make the presidential election later this week a bit more interesting. Or not, since this is Sepp Blatter and FIFA that we're talking about here.
This is significant. Unlike before where corruption scandals where the only consequence would be keeping FIFA's PR office busy, this has the potential to do serious damage to them and even to Blatter. Let's all of us here hope this leads to real reform for the future.
One would think it would be Swiss police that would be doing the charging.. It'll certainly be interesting to see who gets charged and what evidence is presented.. It'll also be interesting to see if the people that are arrested go down with the ship or flip on Blatter and the rest of ExCo...
Wow. If the USA pulls this off ... wow. If they don't ... I guess they can kiss hosting the 2026 World Cup goodbye!
From a CNN article on the arrests.. Part of the issue for U.S. authorities is establishing U.S. legal jurisdiction for alleged crimes that largely occurred outside the United States. However, prosecutors believe the broad reach of U.S. tax and banking regulations aid their ability to bring the charges. In addition, U.S. authorities claim jurisdiction because the American television market, and billions paid by U.S. networks, is the largest for the World Cup. So, yes, it's a US issue. And someone check on Bill Archer please? I think his head may explode in a shower of Schadenfreude-inspired delight.
So... How long until USSF is banned from international competition for government intervention into soccer matters?
The Swiss government signed off on the arrests too. Its an unprecedented step from Swiss authorities and should even have the IOC and a bunch of other organizations quaking in their corrupt loafers. From the article Jack Warner was one of the ones indicted. Did Trinidad agree to extradition? Now, that would be really big news.
Not Necessarily. According to the article the extradition treaty with Switzerland only allows them to refuse extradition for tax crimes.. General crimes they've agreed to extradite.. Obviously the charged can fight extradition, but the Swiss might not have had an option to refuse to arrest them.. Not all of the indicted were in Zurich.. Warner is probably still kicking it in one of his villas in T&T.
Figuerido isn't part of the Warner/Bin Hammam bribery in the Caribbean though. Neither was Webb for that matter, he was never a focus of the investigation that suspended Horace Burrell and a bunch of other Caribbean FA presidents. That's really why the full arrest list is so important. It would give some clues as to the scope of the corruption being indicted upon.
Most of the names so far have been CONCACAF. Webb, Warner, and a Costa Rican. So far Figueredo is the only non-CONCACAF person..
"Law enforcement officials said much of the inquiry involves Concacaf, one of the six regional confederations that compose FIFA". No surprise there.
FBI Press Conference to be held at 10:30 AM Eastern US time Understand US Attorney-General & FBI to hold press conference on FIFA in Brooklyn, New York at 3.30 GMT— Dan Roan (@danroan) May 27, 2015
I know you were joking, but since this isn't a US Soccer governance issue, it should be off the table. Hooray!
I dunno about that.. It's even worse. Meddling in FIFA business. But yes.. FIFA is totally not a capricious organization and totally wouldn't do such a dirty, underhanded thing like retaliate against USSF for the actions of the DoJ..
What if Blatter turned in some ExCos he caught conspiring to replace him as president. The election is when?
Honestly couldn't care less. FIFA has ruined international soccer as far as I'm concerned. If we can't participate in it, well boo hoo... It was a corrupt rigged mess anyway. I'm sure we'll get by on domestic soccer and our Big 4 sports.