Fifa report into alleged corruption clears Qatar to host 2022 World Cup

[FCBarca]

Well, maybe the won't extradite Blatter (maybe that is too high-profile) but with other individuals that the US may deem dangerous to its interests, I can assure you that Switzerland will budge every single time.

Not Suisse citizens was my point, again

 

[StarLord]

Not Suisse citizens was my point, again

Well, allow me to say that you are overestimating your country's power and independence. That's my opinion at least.

 

[FCBarca]

Well, allow me to say that you are overestimating your country's power and independence. That's my opinion at least.

Right back at ya....My country is both as well

Looks like the Suisse followed their own line of inquiry into today's sting as well...The OAG also released a statement today in an investigation related to the voting for the World Cup in 2018 & 2022:

The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland seizes documents at FIFA


Bern, 27.05.2015 - The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) has opened criminal proceedings against persons unknown on suspicion of criminal mismanagement and of money laundering in connection with the allocation of the 2018 and 2022 Football World Cups. In the course of said proceedings, electronic data and documents were seized today at FIFA’s head office in Zurich.

Today, on Wednesday 27 May 2015, the OAG has seized data and documents stored in IT systems at the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) as part of a so-called “collection of evidence on cooperative basis”. That means that the party in possession of the data – in this case, FIFA – delivers the requested data to law enforcement authorities, or gives assistance in securing the data, thus facilitating an efficient and swift procedure. The collection of relevant bank documents had already been ordered beforehand at various financial institutes in Switzerland. The files seized today and the collected bank documents will serve criminal proceedings both in Switzerland and abroad.

In the Swiss criminal proceedings, opened by the OAG on 10 March 2015, it is suspected that irregularities occurred in the allocation of the FIFA World Cups of 2018 and 2022. The corresponding unjust enrichment is suspected to have taken place at least partly in Switzerland. Furthermore, the head office of the damaged party, FIFA, is in Switzerland. For these reasons, investigations are being carried out on the suspicion of criminal mismanagement (Article 158 under 1, Section 3 Swiss Criminal Code / SCC). There are also suspicions of money laundering through Swiss bank accounts (Article 305bis, SCC). Subsequently to today’s seizure of files, the OAG and the Swiss Federal Criminal Police will be questioning 10 persons who took part in voting on the allocation of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups as members of the Executive Committee in 2010. These persons should be questioned as persons providing information.

For reasons of criminal procedure (principle of proportionality), the procedure coordinated with the requested acts of the U.S. authorities was designed in such a way as to allow the procurement of any criminally relevant data in an effective manner, and to avoid any possible collusion. These measures were carried out simultaneously as a large number of persons involved in allocating the World Cups were currently in Zurich. These legal actions concern two criminal procedures conducted separately by the OAG and the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. The Swiss and US law enforcement authorities are not conducting any joint investigations, but are coordinating their respective criminal proceedings.

On 18 November 2014, FIFA had filed criminal charges against persons unknown with the OAG. Therefore, the Swiss proceeding is aimed at persons unknown, with FIFA as the injured party. With this procedure, the OAG is contributing to the struggle against corrupt behaviour and money laundering.
Note to media representatives:

In connection with irregularities surrounding football tournaments, two separate proceedings must be distinguished:

The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) is conducting a Swiss criminal investigation regarding the allocation of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. For inquiries regarding this Swiss criminal investigation, please contact the OAG.

In separate proceedings, and independently of the Swiss criminal investigation of the OAG, the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York is conducting a criminal investigation into the allocation of media, marketing and sponsoring rights for football tournaments carried out in the United States and Latin America. The Federal Office of Justice (FOJ) supports this criminal investigation as part of international legal assistance. Today, on Wednesday 27 May 2015, football officials and suspected bribers have been arrested in Zurich and placed in detention pending extradition as part of this investigation, and by order of the FOJ.

The requests for extradition and legal assistance shall be decided upon by the FOJ, and not by the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland. For inquiries regarding these matters, please contact the FOJ as the appropriate authority (Folco Galli, Federal Office of Justice FOJ,

 

[Hamzah]

Why is the FBI involved in a football probe?

Also the point of hosting a World Cup is to improve your country's image in front of the whole world. Qatar have already lost with all the bad press surely? This WC has been bad for them.

 

[FCBarca]

Why is the FBI involved in a football probe?

Because there were tax fraud issues involving US banks & occurring on US soil

 

[Eetu]

There's a FIFA press conference starting soon.

Edit.

Not much said. "We are the damaged party and fully co-operate", election to go on as planned, timing because it was convenient because everyone is gathered in one place...

 

[FCBarca]

De Gregorio's line of 'This didn't come as a surprise, just that it was a surprise it came today' serves to reinforce an earlier point that it's possible this is Blatter's attempt at consolidating power in the wake of the investigations

 

[Barcaman]

The alternative is even worse. That dude that calls himself a prince or something is probably even more corrupt than this bastard.
No disrespect to Asia but when it comes to football they should stay on back seat and not trying to force themselves where they have no place.
It's either European or South American and noone else should even be considered.

 

[FCBarca]

Potato/potatoe, it's all the same...I don't for a second believe a Suisse corrupt official is any better than a Qatari, Latin or Asian one...Corruption isn't something exclusive to WASPs, they just happen to be better experienced at it and well supported

Would be similar if Figo & his own mafia clan were running things...Money, like power corrupts...It'll take a reorganization of how it is set up & run rather than finding a new flavor of the month to run things

 

[Hamzah]

Why does everyone here like that de Praag character? I am pretty sure he is dodgy too.

 

[UberNjufer]

Yanks want a piece of the pie they have little to do with

judging by the history i'd say they want the whole pie,WC maybe?

 

[Eetu]

At this point the main alternative should be the leading national associations coming together and trying to create something new, structured in a manner not so easily corrupted. Of course that could wrong in many ways too, but FIFA seems to be way beyond redemption.

 

[Barcaman]

Sorry mate but I'd find it grotesque if someone from Jordan or Qatar ran FIFA. There are hundreds od sports out there and they want to force themselves upon nations that are light years ahead od them in football.
I don't see anyone from Croatia yelling about equality and trying to rule cricket.

 

[FCBarca]

At this point the main alternative should be the leading national associations coming together and trying to create something new, structured in a manner not so easily corrupted. Of course that could wrong in many ways too, but FIFA seems to be way beyond redemption.

Easier said than done, we're talking about historically corrupt & arrogant national associations as well...I do agree though, as the FBI investigation has shown here with FIFA, 'the corruption is endemic throughout the organization' which makes the upcoming re-election for the 79 year old a fait accompli

 

[Eetu]

Easier said than done, we're talking about historically corrupt & arrogant national associations as well...I do agree though, as the FBI investigation has shown here with FIFA, 'the corruption is endemic throughout the organization' which makes the upcoming re-election for the 79 year old a fait accompli

Yeah. My reasoning here is that as they know to be wary of each other, it could work as motivation to actually create a rigid framework that can withstand attempts of takeover and other such things.