FIFA Officials Arrested

[Ernest]

Putin getting involved now, probably as they realise the 2018 WC is in trouble if the truth comes out. It will be interesting to see who exactly votes for Blatter and the ones that do can be booted out when the clean up eventually starts

 

[Bwian]

Best news story in years, this is gonna be a LOT of fun to follow over the coming weeks and months.

When we (the English) told the world that the way FIFA awarded World Cups was corrupt it was all down to being sore losers according to the likes of Blatter and that blatantly anti-English racist bar steward Warner.
Those twunts robbed us of hosting a World Cup in 2018. Too bad they used US Dollars as the backbone of their corrupt dealings.

 

[Easy 10]

I know what you mean, but when the actual human cost of corruption comes to light, it is going to be difficult to stomach. It certainly won't feel like FUN.

This is an organisation with $1bn sitting in a slush fund, remember. That is money that could be used to fund football projects around the world to make the world a better place. Instead it is dipped into to buy off corrupt officials, to ensure tin pot places like Qatar get to host tournaments (at a cost of 1200 lives and counting) and to feather the nests of dreadful men around the world in exchange for votes.

To clarify, it'll be fun finally seeing these corrupt old duffers finally brought to book. Its already fun watching their absurd pretence that all is well, while worldwide scorn and ridicule rains down on Blatter and his reeking organisation. Its fun watching Blatter desperately trying to distance himself from the FBI indictments, still attempting to take a "strong stance", as if none of this is anything to do with him. When the prosecutions are secured in a Federal court (and they will be - the FBI doesn't issue indictments without having rock-solid evidence), when these high-level FIFA officials are sent down, then Blatters world will collapse. All this happened under his watch, over decades. He will be found to be either complicit, or incompetent. Either way, he's done for.

THAT will be fun.

 

[jimhigham]

UEFA has the power to force this. If they are prepared to take a short-term hit they could simply boycott the Next World Cup. PC sentiment notwithstanding, a World Cup without Germany, Spain, Italy, The Netherlands, France et al is meaningless. More importantly, the sponsors know it would be meaningless and would almost certainly bail very quickly. That would probably be game over for FIFA in its present form.

It's not without risk of course. It would almost certainly lead to a lot of rich lawyers and we could expect a lot of the other associations, enriched by Blatter, to begin bleating about European colonialism and the like.

 

[Easy 10]

I can't see 2018 being re-run. Firstly Russia does at least have a case to host the World Cup, secondly - it is only three years away and no decision is going to be made in the next few weeks or even months.

Remember during Garica's investigation, it emerged that the Russian bid teams laptops had all mysteriously been "destroyed" after the bid was won ? If the entire bid process was found to be corrupt, then there are certainly grounds to have it re-run. And there are countries who lost out in that bid process who already have the infrastructure in place to lay on a World Cup starting this Sunday, were it awarded (ok I exaggerate a tad, but you get my point).

Given a year or even 6 months notice, why could England (for example) not host ?

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Remember during Garica's investigation, it emerged that the Russian bid teams laptops had all mysteriously been "destroyed" after the bid was won ? If the entire bid process was found to be corrupt, then there are certainly grounds to have it re-run. And there are countries who lost out in that bid process who already have the infrastructure in place to lay on a World Cup starting this Sunday, were it awarded (ok I exaggerate a tad, but you get my point).

Given a year or even 6 months notice, why could England (for example) not host ?

Going back to the Washington Post's graph in my post #190, the Russians lost quite a few workers building for the Sochi Olympics.
According to Putin, this is all a US plot to rob them of the World Cup.

 

[KZNSeagull]

Oliver Kay ‏@OliverKayTimes 18m18 minutes ago
With Fifa in chaos, Sepp Blatter at least has the sympathy and public support of Vladimir Putin. Enough said.

 

[El Presidente]

I know what you mean, but when the actual human cost of corruption comes to light, it is going to be difficult to stomach. It certainly won't feel like FUN.

This is an organisation with $1bn sitting in a slush fund, remember. That is money that could be used to fund football projects around the world to make the world a better place. Instead it is dipped into to buy off corrupt officials, to ensure tin pot places like Qatar get to host tournaments (at a cost of 1200 lives and counting) and to feather the nests of dreadful men around the world in exchange for votes.

It $2bn sitting in cash and financial assets. Doesn't ANYONE read my drivel?

http://www.northstandchat.com/conte...-lost-the-2014-World-Cup-in-more-that-one-way

 

[Easy 10]

Going back to the Washington Post's graph in my post #190, the Russians lost quite a few workers building for the Sochi Olympics.
According to Putin, this is all a US plot to rob them of the World Cup.

That's always the standard response isn't it. Process is found to be riven with corruption - Qatar / Russia / FIFA go on the front foot and accuse every dissenting voice of having sour grapes, of having an agenda.

Not good enough. If the voters are convicted of criminal activity over their voting, then it stands to reason that both 2022 and 2018 should go to a revote. Russia's current trump card is time though - convictions would need to be swift for a realistic timescale to be set for a change to the 2018 tournament. When all is said and done, Russia probably WILL still have 2018 I suppose...but I still think there's a very real prospect of Qatar being BINNED.

 

[El Presidente]

Combine a mafia organisation such as FIFA with a mafia state such as Russia and a dictatorship such as Qatar and this is what you get.

 

[Betfair Bozo]

@AAndrewJennings
I gave the FBI the crucial documents that triggered yesterday's arrests. There will be more to come. Blatter is a target.

 

[WATFORD zero]

It $2bn sitting in cash and financial assets. Doesn't ANYONE read my drivel?

http://www.northstandchat.com/conte...-lost-the-2014-World-Cup-in-more-that-one-way

Not only do I not read your drivel, I had to turn the bloody radio off today

 

[Triggaaar]

i can see the Americans going through fifa like a dose of industrial strength laxative........hope they all get massive fines , all bribes to be repaid and all immediately sacked with dishonourable mention......pricks.

Er, I hope they go to prison.

Unless Blatter goes, and the 2018 and 2022 votes are re-run, then I hope UEFA leaves FIFA.

I was about to give you the coveted thumbs up, but then I realised I hope UEFA leave FIFA regardless.

 

[KZNSeagull]

It $2bn sitting in cash and financial assets. Doesn't ANYONE read my drivel?

http://www.northstandchat.com/conte...-lost-the-2014-World-Cup-in-more-that-one-way

No - way too many facts for NSC to handle.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Russia's current trump card is time though - convictions would need to be swift for a realistic timescale to be set for a change to the 2018 tournament. When all is said and done, Russia probably WILL still have 2018 I suppose...but I still think there's a very real prospect of Qatar being BINNED.

I think the convictions will be swift. The Americans will be holding people with vast resources that they could use to disappear so it's unlikely they will be granted bail. I would imagine the FBI will want to get a few show trials on the go pretty quickly.

 

[Hillian1]

Blatter is refusing to quit as FIFA President according to BBC Breaking News.

 

[Gwylan]

I think the convictions will be swift.

I'm not so sure: extradition proceedings can take a long, long time. Gary McKinnon's hearing lasted 10 years before he was finally freed from the threat, it took four years to extradite the NatWest bankers and how long has Assange been waiting?

Would Switzerland be any quicker? Roman Polanski was arrested there in 2009, was release in 2010 and is still free

 

[TomandJerry]

UK Prime Minister David Cameron is calling for for Mr Blatter to resign. Russian President Vladimir Putin has backed Mr Blatter for a fifth term.

Mr Blatter says he has no intention of resigning, the BBC understands.

Key sponsors have expressed concern over twin corruption investigations by the US and Swiss authorities.

 

[sydney]

Blatter is refusing to quit as FIFA President according to BBC Breaking News.

what a C.U.N.7...!! he must know mugabe quite well....!

 

[Mr Bronson]

We can all do our bit here by taking to Twitter, Facebook etc and showing our dissatisfaction that huge global brands that the majority of us use on a daily basis are sponsors of corruption. There will be marketing teams in these businesses watching and trying to understand what their customer think of these events. Every tweet and post will add pressure to each one of the sponsors.

Do your bit!