By AARON CRANFORD
U.S. Soccer officials are set to stand before members of Congress on Wednesday, as federal prosecutors seek to uncover how many more, if any, knew about or involved themselves in corruption.
The Senate subcommittee, which oversees consumer protection, including sports, wants to discover to what extent U.S. Soccer and its officials knew of and participated in the criminal activity uncovered by prosecutors in May and June, according to The New York Times.
“We need to understand how this corruption occurred,” Senator and member on the consumer protection subcommittee Richard Blumenthal said in an interview with The New York Times on Friday. “U.S. Soccer either knew or should have known. It’s that simple, and I don’t know which is worse.”
As of Thursday, Chuck Blazer is the only former U.S. Soccer official to be indicted. Blazer accepted bribes for the 1998 and 2010 World Cup bids and also accepted bribes for media rights to CONCACAF Gold Cup competitions. He pleaded guilty to federal charges in 2013 for counts of racketeering, wire fraud and more, and since then, he has been a key witness for prosecutors.
Although 18 people have already been indicted, according to New York Times, federal prosecutors said that number is likely to increase because it’s an ongoing affair.
Chief executive and secretary general of U.S. Soccer Dan Flynn will be the one to stand before the subcommittee Wednesday, including investigative reporter Andrew Jennings, president and chief executive of Fairfax Group Michael Hershman and advocacy director for Amnesty International in the Middle East and North Africa Sunjeev Bery.
While the focus will be on U.S. Soccer’s involvement with the corruption charges, the hearing is also a chance for members to talk about labor conditions in Qatar, which was awarded the 2022 World Cup, as well as a chance to discuss corruption across all sports.
I don’t get it. The Senate wants to know about corruption, then they should just investigate their own Senate.
American soccer is exempt from so many of the FIFA rules.
I’d like to know if those exemptions were purchased
This is not a combative response, just an honest curiosity. Specifically which rule exemptions are you thinking of?
1.) Single entity / third party ownership
2.) even though i don’t support pro/rel it IS on the books and we’re not being held to it.
3.) We look at seattle, portland, orlando joining MLS and paying expansion fees and we call it “expansion”. FIFA would normally call that “purchasing a D1 spot”
They want it all to be settled on the field. MLS/SUM wants to run a business
I should add that I think many of these exemptions were crucial in the growth of American soccer. These are things that clearly helped. I would just like to know if money changed hands
My comment has more to do with snake like Blazer navigating through the ultra sleazy FIFA.
You know..for all the crap MLS gets for the way they do things….they aren’t the only ones. Mexico and several teams in Central & South America have to go through playoffs. Mexico is a place where teams have purchased a D1 spot….there has been teams that got relegated, and then the owners went and bough the team coming up, and kept the relegated team in 1st division….
Those aren’t “rules” they’re just the way most countries operate. I’m in favor of pro/rel but we aren’t required to have it. Plus, many countries have playoffs although I agree they are not the best way to determine a champion.
Plus you act like MLS is the only league that acts like a business. A guess the PL and it’s billions in TB revenue is just a charity right? Barca and RM aren’t interested in making money are they?
“U.S. Soccer either knew or should have known. It’s that simple, and I don’t know which is worse.”
I knew about the corruption. Soccer pundits around the world knew about the corruption. Grant what knew about the corruption.
Somehow I’m sure congress will claim that except for some low level intern, US Soccer had no way of knowing about the corruption and everybody will be cleared.
American “justice” at its best.
Clearly you don’t have a long memory. This is an election year.
I think far from rubber-stamping things, this is going to turn more into HUAC.
These politicians had better not just blow up US Soccer for political kudos.
Wow, Rob really hates America huh?
If there are any “bombs” to be dropped on the Senate subcommittee hearings, I’m sure Andrew Jennings will be the one. As for the others; I’m sure they will do their best Sergeant Shultz impersonations…”I know nothing, nothing!”
I guess soccer is all grown up and a major sport now in the US as they have their first Senate Hearing!