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I believe I am correct in saying that FIFA is incorporated in a Swiss Canton where there is no such crime as corporate bribery, not a co-incidence I am sure.
Makes little difference as this case shows, if you do business in or via the USA then you're subject to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
@thisis agreed, the US charges are not against FIFA itself. If you want to go after FIFA that's more difficult which was my point
[url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32904317 ]UEFA flexing it's muscles[/url] and [url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-32910235 ]Visa(and others)[/url] threatens to kick 'em where it hurts.
Having watched the news last night and seen the developments this morning I have to say I am, reluctantly, feeling a sense of optimism that this is the end for Blatter and maybe for FIFA overall. A complete clearout and re-birth.
It is indeed sad that it has taken the US to act but in many respects this makes total sense. They have the most aggressive legal system with effectively unlimited penalties and they also have the least to lose, if FIFA threatened to ban them they won't care as international football really isn't that important to them. they can call FIFA's bluff in a way that the Europeans and big South American countries cannot.
Whatever is being said today Russia and Qatar must be very worried that the tournaments are re-voted or delayed. I doubt UEFA have the balls to withdraw from Russia 2018, they are probably tied in contractually anyway.
Fingers crossed that yesterday marks the beginning of the end for Blatter and FIFA as it currently stands.
I just wish UEFA would grow some and boycott FIFA. Not going to happen, suspect there are plenty of Euro skeletons in Euro closets as well.
Swiss police are confirming that all those arrested fell to the ground and pretended to be injured.
France and Spain voted for Blatter. It's clear there will be no UEFA boycott of the World Cup, Germany are defending champions and France and Spain support Blatter. What a bunch of scumbags
I don't think it is France and Spain who support Blatter so much as the French and Spanish FA officials.
That's the big problem, lots of officials will have been on the take, even those from major nations. They were never going to vote for reform.
Blatter himself will never have taken a bribe or been involved in any corruption directly, he will be untouchable on that front. He has just allowed and encouraged it to go on to consolidate his power (and pay himself 10 million a year).
@MSP I hear you, I suppose I hope Blatter will have some mud stick. It is hard to believe he could never have done anything on the way up or to stay at the top which was corrupt. Allowing it and encouraging it will see him charged I would suspect. As Greg Dyke said last night I strongly believe one of those arrested will enter plea bargaining negotiations and spill the beans. Predictably Warner is already bleating and I think others will do so too. Prison sentences in the US for corruption are very long indeeed.
Also yes French/Spanish FA officials voted but they would have done so with the support of and at the direction of their associations. I am not entirely sure Platini is all he is cracked up to be either, hard to see how he would not have been able to influence the French and he has repeatedly refused to stand against Blatter.
OK what have they got on him?
Smoking gun no doubt
Oh and thank ****
He's just explaining (in French) why he's resigning even though he's totally innocent.
What was the point of standing for the election only to quit days later?
FBI ?
Just sayin like..
Somehow I still can't believe this is the end of him. I expect him to do a Farage and return as leader at the bequest of all his followers.
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Lolz
Did you hear his hustings speech. It was total rambling nonsense, it was clear he hadn't prepared anything, just came across a rambling old fool who was used to the easy life and guaranteed election. Now he's realised what this controversy means he a) is quitting before he's busted and b) cannot be bothered now the job has become quite a lot harder.
Don't think he fancied getting arrested at the Women's World Cup Final 🙂
**** me!
My thoughts exactly !
He knows the FBI are coming for him. He knows there will be plea bargains from those arrested which will implicate him.
EDIT: Just read his resignation speech, the key will be who stands and where the support comes from in the Extraodrinary Congress to be called ASAP. I would not be totally surprised to see a Blatter Puppet stand and be well supported. (very similar to MSPs post above)
I still don't think there will be any evidence of any irregular payment or bribe made by Blatter, made to Blatter or authorised by Blatter. Everything done by him will be all above board, of course he knew that all the money being paid into all those projects was being siphoned off by national officials, but there will be absolutely no evidence of his involvement.
I don't think he was in it for the money, the fact that FIFA paid him a massive wage was just a bonus(allegedly as FIFA accounts don't have to be submitted in Switzerland). He was in it for the power, he wanted to rule and manipulate, that was his motivation.