Appeals committee:
Larry MUSSENDEN Bermuda Fernando MITJANS Argentina AHMAD Madagascar Édgar PEÑA GUTIÉRREZ Bolivia F Randall CUNLIFFE Guam Abdul Rahman LOOTAH United Arab Emirates Leo WINDTNER Austria Christian ANDREASEN Faroe Islands Laureano GONZALEZ VenezuelaDan KAKARAYA Papua New Guinea Tourqui SALIM Comoros Victor GARZA Mexico Samuel RAM Fiji Oliver SMITH Turks and Caicos Islands
― Wristy Hurlington (ShariVari), Thursday, 13 November 2014 12:48 (nine years ago) link
He seems to have written a full report that someone else has summarised so there'll be pressure to publish both.
all the Russian documents got destroyed in a computer fire
― Number None, Thursday, 13 November 2014 13:30 (nine years ago) link
I understand it that Garcia is disputing the summary made by FIFA of his report, claiming it's a false or inaccurate summary.
Dude should just put the whole thing online right now tbh
― a pleasant little psychedelic detour in the elevator (Amory Blaine), Thursday, 13 November 2014 13:44 (nine years ago) link
am loving - LOVING - the implication of the English FA as corrupt, but the clearing of Russia and Qatar. magnificent, magnificent stuff
― imago, Thursday, 13 November 2014 14:19 (nine years ago) link
1 out of 3 is something i guess
― intelligent, expressive males within the greater metropolitan (Bananaman Begins), Thursday, 13 November 2014 14:25 (nine years ago) link
They had to leave the Spain / Portugal bid out of the report as nobody at the Spanish or Portuguese FAs was willing to discuss it with them.
Although low-level, the English FA's pandering to Uncle Jack was so brazen it makes you wonder how they thought they would get away with it. At least Russia and Qatar had the sense to burn the evidence.
― Wristy Hurlington (ShariVari), Thursday, 13 November 2014 14:39 (nine years ago) link
exactly. too quaint and chummy by half. proper corruption escaping our fevered imperialist imagination
― imago, Thursday, 13 November 2014 14:42 (nine years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFYv6sixE0g
― r|t|c, Thursday, 13 November 2014 15:26 (nine years ago) link
http://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2015-sepp-blatter-fifa/img/bw_cover_fifa.jpg
http://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2015-sepp-blatter-fifa/
― Number None, Thursday, 30 April 2015 14:46 (nine years ago) link
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/27/sports/soccer/fifa-officials-face-corruption-charges-in-us.html
― alomar lines, Wednesday, 27 May 2015 04:07 (eight years ago) link
HERE we go.
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 27 May 2015 04:13 (eight years ago) link
warner indicted!
― alomar lines, Wednesday, 27 May 2015 05:23 (eight years ago) link
loving this @MichaelSSchmidt: FIFA execs not being led out in handcuffs. Very peaceful. Hotel staff meanwhile is freaking out.
― alomar lines, Wednesday, 27 May 2015 05:26 (eight years ago) link
i go past that hotel on my bus to work...so posh
― tpp, Wednesday, 27 May 2015 06:18 (eight years ago) link
I wouldn't put the chances of Jack Warner facing US justice at more than about 30%.
His son Daryan was meant to be the star witness in the FBI case against FIFA and, as far as i know, hasn't been able to leave Florida for two years. Ever since this came out, Jack hasn't left T&T, to the best of my knowledge. There's some confusion over exactly what the domestic laws mean but there's a belief that his status as an MP may give him immunity from extradition.
The complication is that he has started to burn bridges with the government over corruption. He was national security minister until 2013, when the story about Daryan broke, and had kept quiet about decades of domestic corruption. When he was turfed out of the ruling party, he started to release some of the historical allegations to the press. I'd suspect that he has far more on both FIFA and the T&T government in reserve, for exactly this eventuality, but if not then they might want him shipped out ASAP.
― Petite Lamela (ShariVari), Wednesday, 27 May 2015 07:23 (eight years ago) link
It looks like Chuck Blazer (who famously had a separate apartment in Trump Towers for his cats) is the one who cut a deal for immunity. All the people arrested are CONCACAF and he is the one missing.
― Petite Lamela (ShariVari), Wednesday, 27 May 2015 07:28 (eight years ago) link
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/soccer/soccer-rat-ex-u-s-soccer-exec-chuck-blazer-fbi-informant-article-1.1995761
wd love to believe a few of these guys (warner especially) will end up in prison... but I guess it's never going to happen is it?
― sktsh, Wednesday, 27 May 2015 08:36 (eight years ago) link
Some of them probably will. You generally don't get to be head of a football association without political ties but some governments might want to disassociate themselves. It will be interesting to see how this plays out politically in some countries given that this is an independent prosecution brought by a CONCACAF competitor. FIFA isn't popular anywhere but i don't know how well the idea of the Costa Rican FA being dismantled by the US government will go down, for example, when the two countries have had public disagreements on various football-related things in the past.
― Petite Lamela (ShariVari), Wednesday, 27 May 2015 08:49 (eight years ago) link
any hope this will lead to a proper investigation of qatar?
― bureau belfast model (LocalGarda), Wednesday, 27 May 2015 09:07 (eight years ago) link
The legal ramifications of pulling Qatar would be gigantic given that they've already started building infrastructure in anticipation of the World Cup, with people already dying in their hundreds. But they will continue to do so the longer preparations continue, the right thing to do would be to halt everything now and give 2022 to a country already reasonably well placed to hold it, but the size of the lawsuits that FIFA would open themselves up (and the likelihood of this clusterfuck continuing for years) will probably enough to ensure they bottle doing that.
Also if the Qatar process was corrupt (lol) then the likelihood is the Russian one was too and that's five years closer (although I'd guess FIFA would dearly love to take the WC away from Russia for other reasons).
― Matt DC, Wednesday, 27 May 2015 09:19 (eight years ago) link
Four years closer, even.
― Matt DC, Wednesday, 27 May 2015 09:22 (eight years ago) link
Guardian now reporting that Swiss authorities are holding a criminal inquiry into the awarding of both 2018 and 2022.
― Matt DC, Wednesday, 27 May 2015 09:28 (eight years ago) link
Due to air this evening: There's Only One Sepp Blatter http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05w8ftq
― Keith Moom (Neil S), Wednesday, 27 May 2015 09:33 (eight years ago) link
Blazer and two of Jack Warner's sons entered guilty pleas and cut deals apparently.
― Petite Lamela (ShariVari), Wednesday, 27 May 2015 11:43 (eight years ago) link
My attention has been drawn to certain developments in world football which started several hours ago and is at the present time still ongoing. It has been reported that a number of FIFA officials have been arrested in Switzerland and that at least one raid conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigators in Miami is being executed at what I presume to be CONCACAF offices. My name is being reported by international media as being one of those persons sought in connection with the probe. The people of Trinidad and Tobago will know that I quit FIFA and international football more than four years ago and that over the past several years I have recommitted my life to the work of improving the lot of every citizen of every creed and race in this nation. This is where I have let my bucket down. I have fought fearlessly against all forms of injustice and corruption. I have been afforded no due process and I have not even been questioned in this matter. I reiterate that I am innocent of any charges. I have walked away from the politics of world football to immerse myself in the improvement of lives in this country where I shall, God willing, die. The actions of FIFA no longer concern me. I cannot help but note however that these cross- border coordinated actions come at a time when FIFA is assembled for elections to select a President who is universally disliked by the international community. At times such as this it is my experience that the large world powers typically take actions to affect world football. World football is an enormous international business. That is no longer my concern. My sole focus at this stage of my life is on the people of Trinidad and Tobago. I wish to advise the hundreds of thousands of persons who support the ILP that my commitment to them and to the people of Trinidad and Tobago is undaunted and can never be broken. Jack Warner
It has been reported that a number of FIFA officials have been arrested in Switzerland and that at least one raid conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigators in Miami is being executed at what I presume to be CONCACAF offices.
My name is being reported by international media as being one of those persons sought in connection with the probe.
The people of Trinidad and Tobago will know that I quit FIFA and international football more than four years ago and that over the past several years I have recommitted my life to the work of improving the lot of every citizen of every creed and race in this nation. This is where I have let my bucket down.
I have fought fearlessly against all forms of injustice and corruption.
I have been afforded no due process and I have not even been questioned in this matter. I reiterate that I am innocent of any charges. I have walked away from the politics of world football to immerse myself in the improvement of lives in this country where I shall, God willing, die.
The actions of FIFA no longer concern me. I cannot help but note however that these cross- border coordinated actions come at a time when FIFA is assembled for elections to select a President who is universally disliked by the international community. At times such as this it is my experience that the large world powers typically take actions to affect world football. World football is an enormous international business.
That is no longer my concern. My sole focus at this stage of my life is on the people of Trinidad and Tobago.
I wish to advise the hundreds of thousands of persons who support the ILP that my commitment to them and to the people of Trinidad and Tobago is undaunted and can never be broken.
Jack Warner
― Petite Lamela (ShariVari), Wednesday, 27 May 2015 12:03 (eight years ago) link
Didn't know he was on I Love Photography, must pay more attention.
― Tim, Wednesday, 27 May 2015 12:27 (eight years ago) link
sensibly not ruling out the possibility that god might want him to live forever
― sktsh, Wednesday, 27 May 2015 14:53 (eight years ago) link
today in "can't imagine why" or "o rlly," depending on your perspective
The Associated Press @AP 15m15 minutes agoBREAKING: Swiss justice ministry says 6 of the 7 arrested in FIFA probe oppose extradition to US.
― slothroprhymes, Wednesday, 27 May 2015 16:19 (eight years ago) link
1 of 7 "didn't completely understand the question"
― Number None, Wednesday, 27 May 2015 16:48 (eight years ago) link
Blatter, 79, was expected to win a fifth term despite a string of scandals during his 17-year tenure but now looks less secure than at any other time during that reign. In a desperate rearguard action, his spokesman tried to argue that the dramatic events were good for Fifa and attempted to align them with a discredited reform programme promised in the wake of a swirl of allegations four years ago.
― Van Horn Street, Thursday, 28 May 2015 00:19 (eight years ago) link
Underrated side effect of all this: the (presumed) destruction of Traffic Sports, a boil on the face of North American soccer.
― dan m, Thursday, 28 May 2015 01:02 (eight years ago) link
https://twitter.com/darrenrovell/status/603726608709582849
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CGDeJuGWoAAuA-M.jpg
― dan m, Thursday, 28 May 2015 01:05 (eight years ago) link
a qatarstophe
― Van Horn Street, Thursday, 28 May 2015 01:20 (eight years ago) link
Wishful thinking perhaps but in light of these FIFA arrests, could we see some countries boycotting the Qatar World Cup?
― tayto fan (Michael B), Thursday, 28 May 2015 10:29 (eight years ago) link
i think people need to start taking the plunge. fifa delenda est.
― bureau belfast model (LocalGarda), Thursday, 28 May 2015 10:45 (eight years ago) link
Not countries, no, have a hard time seeing that. Sponsors, though.
― Frederik B, Thursday, 28 May 2015 11:25 (eight years ago) link
I think the middle east absolutely deserves to host a World Cup, but not like this obviously. It should have been made clear from the start that it was going to be a winter tournament, they should have specified a year and announced that it was going to that region and then let the countries from there bid.
Also think India should get one as well.
― pandemic, Thursday, 28 May 2015 11:32 (eight years ago) link
and england. not to be all captain save a brit. it just would be an incredible occasion.
― bureau belfast model (LocalGarda), Thursday, 28 May 2015 11:34 (eight years ago) link
they should rotate between legacy type world cups in your traditional home of the game countries and events that build the sport around the globe
― bureau belfast model (LocalGarda), Thursday, 28 May 2015 11:35 (eight years ago) link
yeah once every 8 years would be nice if it went to a country that didn't have to spend untold billions building new stadia.
― pandemic, Thursday, 28 May 2015 11:43 (eight years ago) link
that are then never used again
packed up and shipped to Iran iirc?
― an absolute feast of hardcore fanboy LOLs surrounding (imago), Thursday, 28 May 2015 12:38 (eight years ago) link
http://www.itv.com/news/update/2015-05-28/platini-asked-blatter-to-resign-at-fifa-crisis-meeting/
― tayto fan (Michael B), Thursday, 28 May 2015 13:17 (eight years ago) link
to coin a phrase, he would wouldn't he
― pull blart, maul cops (DJ Mencap), Thursday, 28 May 2015 13:24 (eight years ago) link
How well in is blatter with commebal compared to caf and asia? It's crass but the World Cup or at least the main attraction for sponsors is dependent on the European and South American teams surely. If they threaten to pull out then it's game over.
― pandemic, Thursday, 28 May 2015 13:27 (eight years ago) link
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CGBuA5hWYAAlg1B.jpg
― bizarro gazzara, Thursday, 28 May 2015 13:43 (eight years ago) link
top, top
― an absolute feast of hardcore fanboy LOLs surrounding (imago), Thursday, 28 May 2015 13:44 (eight years ago) link
Why on earth should India, with no real footballing infrastructure and with a national team that has never got anywhere near the finals, be given the World Cup? There are all sorts of reasons why Russia is a terrible idea but it is at least a footballing nation.
In terms of picking a country that actually appears in the finals, the only real options in the Middle East are Saudi Arabia and Iran and there are some pretty obvious reasons why FIFA would never go for either in a million years.
― Matt DC, Thursday, 28 May 2015 13:51 (eight years ago) link
I mean an India WC would build a gigantic audience for the game but the negative impact on a lot of its poor would be worse than Brazil.
― Matt DC, Thursday, 28 May 2015 13:53 (eight years ago) link