FIFA Officials Arrested

Tim

Looks like Nike have been snared:
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://qz.com/413556/nike-is-cooperating-with-investigators-in-a-30m-case-of-alleged-bribery-to-sponsor-brazils-national-team/'>Nike is cooperating with investigators in a $30m case of alleged bribery to sponsor Brazilâ€™s national team</a>

Unco

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Tim" data-cid="492932" data-time="1432754937">
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Polanski was arrested in Switzerland.
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Oh, I forgot about that. Yeah, it was fucked. I'm guessing there was a lot of political pressure on them within the EU to release him.

No Quarter

ACT Crusader

Bonita Mersiades (former OZ football exec) was interviewed last night about the arrests. She gave some interesting insights into Australia's bid and the FBI investigation. <a class="bbc_url" href="http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2015/s4243794.htm">http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2015/s4243794.htm</a>

antipodean

Stockcar86

red terror

<img src="http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--PdT5RWFt--/c_fit,fl_progressive,q_80,w_636/1271157631436277136.jpg" alt="1271157631436277136.jpg">
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://screamer.deadspin.com/chart-the-qatar-world-cup-death-toll-is-stunning-1707286095'>http://screamer.deadspin.com/chart-the-qatar-world-cup-death-toll-is-stunning-1707286095</a>

No Quarter

So the next WC is scheduled to be in Russia, where being gay is illegal, and then the WC after that in Qatar, where being a woman is illegal. Be great if they take it away from both countries as a result of this.

Damo

I'm not a fan of Russia getting it, but by far the worse award is Qatar. Aside from mountains of money to pay bribes, there isn't a thing going for it. Their labour situation is feudal. Masses of immigrant workers work in appallingly unsafe and unsanitary conditions in the richest country in the world per capita. There's no good excuse for treating workers badly, but when a country is a rich as those buggers are it makes me sick. 
 
I hope they finish all the stadiums and as soon as they are done then FIFA takes it off them.

Tim

Mitt Romney has been suggested as a choice to reform FIFA. Not a bad idea.

ACT Crusader

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="antipodean" data-cid="492953" data-time="1432768906"><img src="http://maddawggmanifesto.info/pics/britepics/shocked.JPG" alt="shocked.JPG"></blockquote>
 
It is actually shocking that someone has actually gone after these guys. After decades of alleged corruption, kickbacks and bribes, eventually a country (U.S.) where football is not the mainstream brings it all to a head.

Nepia

More to the point I wonder what lobby group in the US set the State Dept onto FIFA.

red terror

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Nepia" data-cid="493035" data-time="1432818582">
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More to the point I wonder what lobby group in the US set the State Dept onto FIFA.
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My guess is the Internal Revenue Service (IRS, the U.S. taxman), same organization that took down Al Capone and other mobsters.

booboo

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="ACT Crusader" data-cid="493034" data-time="1432818219">
It is actually shocking that someone has actually gone after these guys. After decades of alleged corruption, kickbacks and bribes, eventually a country (U.S.) where football is not the mainstream brings it all to a head.</blockquote>
I wonder whether the US is less scared of FIFA than a soccer country?

Crucial

That photo of the lobby of the hotel before the arrests is quite funny. They send in a handful of plainclothes cops who appear to be asking nicely at the front desk before going to knock on doors. Nice Swiss folk.
Of course, if any of the FIFA officials were fat germans and it was the NZ police involved there would have been helicopters, armed tactical units and dogs......

sparky

When the police came to arrest the 7 Fifa officials, they rolled around on the ground several time feigning injury.
 
Blatter is the kingpin here. He's the Capone of football.

Mokey

Blatter is unbelievable. His reign stretches over a time of terrible corruption and ridiculous decisions, and he says he welcomes the probe - and to re-elect him president. Now that is steel balled cold, right there. You can only imagine who he will sacrifice (and keep sacrificing) to get what he wants.
 
How can they possibly hold elections with this dangling like an anvil?

Tim

NTA

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="sparky" data-cid="493055" data-time="1432847068">When the police came to arrest the 7 Fifa officials, they rolled around on the ground several time feigning injury. 
Blatter is the kingpin here. He's the Capone of football.</blockquote>
Saw this yesterday: 
[attachment=1754:IMG_20150529_074757.jpg]

Crucial

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Mokey" data-cid="493056" data-time="1432848547">
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Blatter is unbelievable. His reign stretches over a time of terrible corruption and ridiculous decisions, and he says he welcomes the probe - and to re-elect him president. Now that is steel balled cold, right there. You can only imagine who he will sacrifice (and keep sacrificing) to get what he wants.
 
How can they possibly hold elections with this dangling like an anvil?
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I think it's a great time for an election. Will show up those countries that hold him accountable and those that are complicit (NZ included).
 
It is quite obvious that NZ has done something to appease the FIFA machine with the awarding of 3 age group WCs in recent times. Not sure if it is a naive acceptance of a payback from the Charlie Dempsey thing or what, but we are happily accepting the 'rewards' they are throwing us for something we have done and continuing to back the hand that is feeding us.
 
Blatter inferring that this was all hidden from him is incredible. The 'Sergeant Schultz' defence.

The Silver Fern

FIFA Officials Arrested