Fifa president Sepp Blatter appears unmoved by the rampant corruption of his federation. Six suspects are said to have already confessed. Blatter continued working on his whitewashing.
Just as some of the most powerful football officials of the planet freshly sat behind bars, because they may be criminals, as prosecutors their raid on the headquarters of the Fifa had stopped and hauled out boxes of documents – since the FIFA media director Walter de Gregorio began a press conference and said, “It is good for us.” He spoke these words, without batting an eye. He was serious.
On Wednesday a hurricane over the Fifa headquarters is swept away on the Zurich mountain, arrests and searches included. What damage it leaves behind, is not yet in sight.
DC with two methods is the International Football Association now face. The Swiss prosecutor’s office initiated a criminal case about the awards the World Championships 2018 Russia and 2022 to Qatar. In addition, seven Fifa members, including even one of the deputies of president Sepp Blatter arrested with Jeffrey Webb,
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in the sights of investigators: Rafael Esquivel, Nicolas Leoz, Jack Warner, Eduardo Li, Eugenio Figueredo, and Jose Maria Marin (Photo: AFP)
Elf officials locked
Eleven officials locked the Fifa then provisionally for all football activities. Among them were also Webb and Figueredo, the world governing body announced by a decision of its Ethikkommissionmit.
In addition, the European Football Union called for the arrests of seven high-ranking, the postponement of the planned for Friday presidential election at the world governing body Fifa. This was announced by UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino for a meeting prior to the Europa League final in Warsaw.
FIFA sold the accusations as a success
At the Swiss process for the World Cup Award goes it to suspect “the breach of trust and suspicion of money laundering against unknown”. As part of the American investigation seven detainees were taken into custody pending extradition. They are threatened with deportation to the United States. Men fraud, extortion and money laundering is accused there. Overall, the US authorities are investigating 14 suspects.
It is the biggest scandal to football’s world governing body for years . And he really comes at the wrong time. On Friday, Blatter wants 79 years old can be, in the presidential election confirmed in office. And in many other institutions would like those events on Wednesday the president cost the job. He would resign or be forced to resign, although he does not belong to the suspect.
But it’s just around the Fifa. And in this store everything is a bit different. And as the media director de Gregorio sold the investigations of the authorities as good news. As a sign that the efforts made by FIFA to fight corruption bear fruit. Finally, Blatter had personally made sure of last November, that internal FIFA documents were handed over to the Swiss Federal Prosecutor. Several times reminded de Gregorio at the press conference at this step.
self attributed victimhood
At that time, Michael Garcia, at that time chief investigator of the FIFA Ethics Committee, its investigations to the awards of World Championships 2018 and 2022 finished. Was the report from the Ethics judge Hans-Joachim Eckert derive no wrongdoing Russia or Qatar (which is why Garcia unnerved resigned), was made available to the authorities for further review are available.
The fact that the investigators now ushered in a criminal case without Sepp Blatter, the champion of enlightenment and corruption, which would not have been possible – as the self-image of Fifa looks. Blatter is, according to its own opinion, not a loser in this scandal, but a winner. “We are the victims,” said de Gregorio and recalled that is not detected against Blatter himself
Given his self-ascribed role of victim, the association also sees no reason to compromise on our planning for Friday.: The annual congress takes place as well as the election of the FIFA leader. The Presidents of the 209 national associations to decide who is her boss in the next four years. Blatter’s only rival candidate is the Jordanian Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, his victory is as likely as the championship title of the Hamburger SV in the coming season. The European Football Union (UEFA) demanded on Wednesday night, the postponement of the planned for Friday presidential election.
Blatter himself declined to comment on a possible shift. “This is a difficult time for the football,” was of the 79-year-old Swiss announced in its first opinion on Wednesday. His association would continue to cooperate with the authorities concerned. Nothing more.
In Togo we see things differently
In Fifa universe they differ strictly between moral responsibility for abuses and facts. The association may be infiltrated by criminals who decide in the interplay “your money, my voice”, but such a concrete accusation against Blatter himself does not exist. So it has nothing to do with all this.
It should also see the majority of voters. Not the German or French, but that the President of Togo and the Bahamas, which crosses count as much -. Namely a voice
will also be not alter its view that the Detained close Familiar of the Swiss belong, including Jeffrey Webb of the Cayman Islands. Webb has held the office of Vice-President of FIFA, so that he is also a member of the Executive Committee, as it were, of the Executive Board. He is also president of the continental federation Concacaf that unites national associations in North and Central America and the Caribbean.
In April he had been re-elected as CONCACAF boss. Blatter was then on the spot and called Webb in an interview with the newspaper “Jamaica Observer” as “my colleague, my friend, my brother”.
Fifa was caught unprepared
In addition to Webb was detained with Eugenio Figueredo from Uruguay, another member of the Executive Committee. Figueredo ruled on Friday as scheduled from the Board. Eduardo Li from Costa Rica should simultaneously move into the executive committee, with his arrest is likely the have done for now.
Among the other defendants and the Brazilian Association chief Jose Maria Marin belong to Nicolas Leoz (Paraguay) Other Ex- leading members of the Association. The former Concacaf boss Jack Warner (Trinidad and Tobago), who was involved in numerous corruption scandals in the past, one of the accused.
The Fifa was struck by actions of investigators unprepared. On Wednesday morning, shortly after six clock investigators were pitched in the lobby of the posh hotel “Baur au Lac” overlooking Lake Zurich and the Alps.
The timing was perfectly chosen. Always in the days before the annual congress of the Association tailspin officials from around the world in Zurich, ahead of the major events will find numerous meetings were held. The authorities could be sure that all professional, they have on the radar these days are in the city.
Blatter, head of the system
Investigators brought in experience, Those arriving when and where he spends the night, then they struck. At the reception of the hotel you could be handing room cards and surprised the suspects. One of the men, the Costa Ricans Li, left, accompanied by the investigators through a side exit the hotel and has been associated with an unmarked car to the police station. He and the other defendants are expected to be transferred soon to the United States.
The US Attorney Loretta E. Lynch Minister spoke of “systematic and deeply rooted corruption”, will determine for the. At least two generations of soccer officials have their “positions of trust” used to collect bribes amounting to several million dollars. They wanted to bring the perpetrators to justice: “The publication of today is to send the message that enough is enough.” Lynch said the organized international football needed a “new start”.
It sounded like a hint to Blatter, the head of the system. But the Swiss fencing all not to. He did not dance by his office, said media director de Gregorio, but he was “relaxed”. The man suspects what is going to happen on Friday. That his supporters are celebrating him, despite or perhaps because of anger. He looks forward to guests as Osiris Guzman, soccer boss of the Dominican Republic.
Only recently, at the CONCACAF Congress, as compared Guzman Sepp Blatter with none other than Jesus. This assessment is more scandalous, more or less likely to change that.
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