The FIFA corruption investigation has reached its most prominent target.
President Sepp Blatter is now under investigation by FIFA for reportedly looking the other way at alleged bribes paid to Caribbean voters and not reporting the indiscretion despite knowing about it.
The initial charge came from his challenger in next week's scheduled presidential election, Mohamed Bin Hammam, who himself is under investigation after being named on corruption charges by CONCACAF secretary general Chuck Blazer. CONCACAF president Jack Warner was also a part of Blazer's accusation.
Here are a few more items from around the soccer world:
TOURE BANNED FOR POSITIVE TEST
Manchester City defender Kolo Toure has been banned for six months, after testing positive for a banned substance back in March. His suspension is retroactive to the date of the test.
Toure reportedly took his wife's diet pills, which contained a banned substance and triggered the positive test. His suspension lasts until Sept. 2, but had it been deemed that he was attempting to mask the use of a performance enhancer, he could have received a suspension of two years.
ASTON VILLA MAKES MAJOR CUTS
Aston Villa has released 10 players, including Nigel Reo-Coker, Robert Pires and John Carew, who spent the latter part of the season on loan with Stoke City.
The other players cut by Villa were Isaiah Osbourne, Moustapha Salifou, Harry Forrester, Arsenio Halfhuid, Durrell Berry, Ellis Deeney and Calum Flanagan.
NORWICH CITY SIGNS VAUGHAN
Newly promoted Norwich City is already looking to improve its squad as it prepares for the 2011-2012 Premier League season.
The Canaries have agreed to a deal with Everton for striker James Vaughan, and the 22-year-old attacking threat will join the club on a three-year deal.
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What do you think about Blatter being involved in the investigation? Think Toure is fortunate not to have been banned for longer? What do you think the Villa cuts mean for Michael Bradley? Do you see Pires coming to MLS now that he's out of contract? Like the signing for Norwich City?
Share your thoughts below.
Kyle Walker was on loan from Tottenham if memory serves correct
Avi do you have any info on Chuck Blazer…Is he legit ? Wasn’t is just a stooge for Warner?
Grant Wahl for FIFA President is looking pretty good right about now…
Jack Warner was a high school principal when he became head of his country’s federation. His net worth now tops $50 million.
If anyone thinks this level of cronyism is limited to sports, after 23 rather weary years as a reporter I can tell you it’s endemic to power above a certain level.
It’s funny how the Caribbean soccer orgs hold that much power considering the fact they never get to play in major tourneys outside of Jamaica and T&T
yepper. I’ve wondered of late how in the hell T&T could have an 11 team pro 1st division with only a population of 1.5mil. I guess it was always obviousl with Warner lording over it. I hope there’s no attempted retaliation against Islanders (since they dominate Caribbean, and PR is a US territory). I see a re-vote occurring and US getting world cup in 22. No re-vote for 18, Russia is just too powerful.
So what do you do when ALL the candidates are awful, corrupt pieces of trash?
I wouldn’t worry so much. If what you’re saying about Bradley demanding a trade is true and I’m not so sure it is, BMG will not want to keep him around as a distraction. A good summer tourney will only improve his standing and they’ll accept an improved offer.
Another chicken little… ::yawn:: Go root for Mexico.
Looks like Bradley’s career could be over before the prime of his career.
0 offers for the kid, and Gladbach is stonewalling for a whopping 15 million. Sounds like they intentionally sinking his career in retribution for the pure stupidity and classlessness he exhibited during the winter in forcing the trade because he “didn’t want to play for the club anymore.”
This is my favorite accusation and counter-accusation ever. First, Bin Hamman and Warner get accused of issuing bribes. Bin Hamman and Warner deny it, and then a day or so later accuse Blatter of knowing about, but not reporting, the bribes they deny ever issuing. This is fabulous. High, high comedy. Now all we need is a monkey and Mike Tyson’s tiger to get this even weirder.
from twitter: “@dan_bu: Gladbach’s Michael Bradley will probably stay at Aston Villa, but clubs have to agree on a price yet, according to “Bild”.”
I seriously felt, and still feel to this day, that there is no way Qatar actually surpassed the competition for the 2022WC in the eyes of anybody rational. It’s seriously out of hand.
I’m still nonplussed at the Russia and Qatar selections to the omission of England and U.S. A re-vote will never happen, but it’s something that the FA and USSF should clamor for to no end.
Better yet, withdraw from FIFA and ask Brazil, Germany, Holland and Argentina, et al. to as well – problem solved and establish a new federation. Still, will any international federation ever be exempt from corruption?
COYW
Haha! It certainly seems that way.
Island Nations = Blatter’s corrupt cronies
Thanks for the clarification.
I was thinking: “There’s just a little corruption”, but I like your caption better.
LOL
Even the janitors are corrupt at that place
I don’t think he’ll play for Villa again, he is back at Borussia M
Time for a picture caption:
“It will cost you a stack of hundreds, this large.”
Agreed, I’ve admittedly called Blazer a fat, corrupt b*stard but it seems he’s doing the right thing after all
Villa doesn’t own MB’s rights.
basically me and you haha or any one else not working for Fifa
The real question is, how far down in the ranks would you have to go in FIFA to come up with someone who isn’t corrupt. My opinion? Pretty damn far.
First, there is a day of everybody pointing the finger at everyone else in FIFA. I can only hope that the night of the long knives is on its way.
FIFA is a cesspool. Blatter is a perfect fit for them. Too much money too many hands in the till.Soccer will grow and FIFA will continue to be run by crooks and toadies.
Hope this is good for Michael Bradley and he gets some playing time and stability.
Correct.
I don’t know. Reo-Coker was always on his way out. Apparently his wage demands are outrageous. And yes, he is not on the list because BMG holds his contract. Some reason Kyle Walker isn’t on the list.
His last played game was on Feb. 27th, they just now have determined his full punishment. It’s still a full 6 month ban.
The player purge at Villa is the first sign I’ve seen that they may actually be thinking of keeping Baby Bradley. Reo-Coker was in direct competition with him for a place. Still not sure they want him, though. Is he not on this list simply because his contract reverted back to Borussia M. once the season ended?
A 6 month ban suspension that’s retroactive? That’s idiotic. So basically he’s out for, oh, 3 games on the club level.
They should revote 2018 and 2022 world cups … This is a total scam..
Ok here’s the deal, we all keep our mouths shut and we’ll all get out of this.
Soon as one person pointed the finger
“Oh screw this, in that case he did sumthing too”
lol it’s like they all sold each other out
I’ve been plenty critical of Blazer, but maybe he was biding his time and gathering some evidence. Either way, he finally grew a pair. The islands nations hold a ridiculous amount of power in CONCACAF. It’s too bad the North and Central American nations can’t break away, with an invitation to Jamaica.
It’s amazing how corrupt FIFA is. They should retract the Qatar World Cup decision and re-vote with entirely different non-corrupt officials. Better yet, just give the 2022 World Cup to the US!
Ban that Blatter crook. Qatar? Please!