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Updated 1.23pm
A NUMBER OF Fifa officials were arrested in Switzerland overnight, accused of accepting millions of dollars in bribes.
According to the Swiss government, two of the people arrested in a US-led operation in Zurich are “high-ranking officials”.
They are alleged to “have taken the money in return for selling marketing rights in connection with football tournaments in Latin America, as well as World Cup qualifying matches,” the justice ministry said in a statement.
The new wave of at least 12 arrests came in a pre-dawn raid at a luxury Zurich hotel, first reported by the New York Times. The newspaper said that police entered the Baur au Lac hotel at 6am local time and more than a dozen individuals are now expected to be charged.
In a brief statement, Fifa said it is aware of the actions taken by the US Justice Department. It added:
Fifa will continue to cooperate fully with the US investigation as permitted by Swiss law, as well as with the investigation being led by the Swiss Office of the Attorney General. Fifa will have no further comment on today’s developments.
It is understood that suspended president Sepp Blatter is not involved in these latest developments.
New rules
In a separate development this afternoon, Fifa’s executive committee “unanimously” approved a programme of reforms. The package includes a rule to limit presidential terms to 12 years.
As part of attempts to restore credibility, Fifa also promised to introduce “transparency of compensation” for leading officials.
First published 7.55am; With reporting by AFP
Isn’t it time FIFA is dissolved and a new organisation put in place?
I don’t disagree keith but I would go a step further and fire the lot of them and make sure they never work in that industry again then any new organisation will be not involve the same corrupt officials/culture that obviously exists in fifa.
Agree 100%
Appoint former players who have shown they care more for the game than a fatter back pocket. Leave all these corrupt old men out of the picture
give it a few more years
Give it another few years
If was a a FIFA exec I would be staying in bed and breakfast. They have all been lifted from luxury hotels
Hardly new news this has been long known. Coca-Cola, MasterCard, visa, have all mentioned it before just nothing ever done about it.
A healthy suspicion of those in authority roles is always required. Naturally they will try to convince you that they are the smartest, most suitable, most ‘above reproach’ person but what the hell would you expect them to say? When it comes to politicians, senior officials and business leaders the most common sense approach is to assume they are lying until the truth is proven, not the other way around.
Is it true that Seb Coe was the head of FIFA’s ethics committee?
Yup in 2006 when it was first formed.
I’m not joking here….but in my opinion Eamonn Dunphy should be nominated for FIFA presidency.
He’d clean the place up overnight and put the shysters on the run.
FIFA! Talk about the clowns running the circus. An organisation stuck in the 1980′s along with Blatter’s philosophies. How long did they really think they could get away with it for? Were they so arrogant as to think they were above the law? They must have been and now it’s just like a Turkey shoot for the FBI.
Here’s that and some other stuff from the week:
http://whysayanything.com/2015/12/03/gary-neville-jurgen-klopp-fifa-louis-van-gaal/
Those slease-bags put an end to the daft notion that competitive sport “builds character” or “makes a better person of you”.
Some of the shadiest people I have ever met were deep into sport.
World Cup Soccer is just 22 rich eejits running around a field after a ball.
I guess FIFA should really stand for First In First Out!!!.
have your say