By COLE KELLOGG
The bottomless pit that is the corruption of FIFA and its members grows larger each day.
Reports have surfaced that the organization’s Secretary General, Jerome Valcke, is implicated in a scheme that planned to sell World Cup 2014 tickets at inflated prices.
JB Sports Marketing, a company that was on track to sell tickets for last year’s competition in Brazil, has claimed that Valcke was to benefit from a deal to sell tickets above face value. While the deal didn’t end up coming to fruition, evidence suggests that Valcke was in a position to unethically benefit from the sales of over-priced tickets.
The deal ultimately collapsed because its terms did not comply with Brazilian law.
This story only adds to the pressure heaped on Valcke as of late, with the secretary general supposedly knowing about a $10 million payment from the South African FA to Jack Warner.
Here are more of Thursday afternoon’s new and notes:
NEYMAR, KAKA OFF BRAZIL ROSTER
After lighting up the U.S. Men’s National Team in a recent friendly, Neymar has not been included in Brazil’s latest roster.
Suspended due to a red card received in the Copa America group stages, Neymar will have to sit out Brazil’s upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Venezuela. Also excluded is fellow recent call-up Kaka, who has been nursing an injury since rejoining Orlando City.
Returning to the roster is Oscar, as the Chelsea midfielder has not featured since pulling out of the Copa America squad due to injury. Regulars David Luiz, Hulk and Marcelo also join the squad after participating in the team’s recent friendlies.
Take a closer look at the Brazil squad below:
Goalkeepers: Jefferson (Botafogo), Marcelo Grohe (Gremio), Alisson (Internacional).
Defenders: David Luiz (PSG), Miranda (Inter Milan), Marquinhos (PSG), Gil (Corinthians), Fabinho (Monaco), Rafinha (Bayern Munich), Filipe Luis (Atletico Madrid), Marcelo (Real Madrid).
Midfielders: Luiz Gustavo (Wolfsburg), Fernandinho (Manchester City), Elias (Corinthians), Renato Augusto (Corinthians), Douglas Costa (Bayern Munich), Lucas Lima (Santos), Lucas Moura (PSG), Willian (Chelsea), Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool), Oscar (Chelsea).
Forwards: Roberto Firmino (Liverpool), Hulk (Zenit).
ROMANIA PUNISHED FOR RACISM
Romania will be forced to host their next qualifying match for Euro 2016 behind closed doors after racist behavior from fans.
The Romanian Football Federation was fined €110,000 by UEFA as a result of racism in the crowd during two recent matches against Hungary and Greece.
In Budapest, Romanian fans lit flares and fought in the stands. Racist behavior was also detected in a home match against Greece. As a result, the team will now play Finland on October 8 in front of an empty stadium.
The Romanian team currently sits in second place in Group F of Euro 2016 qualifying.
QUICK KICKS:
The children of Malcom Glazer will make over £15 million each year as Manchester United shareholders. (REPORT)
FIFA reform campaigners call for urgency from British authorities. (REPORT)
Roma goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny will miss up to six weeks with a finger injury. (REPORT)
Cristiano Ronaldo has bee promised a role in the new Martin Scorcsese movie, “The Manipulator”. (REPORT)
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What do you think of the latest FIFA news? Reaction to the latest Brazil squad? What else should FIFA/UEFA do to help prevent racist incidents?
Share your thoughts below.
kaka was injured in brazil, not oc
“Also excluded is fellow recent call-up Kaka, who has been nursing an injury since rejoining Orlando City.”
correction: kaka sustained the injury during his recent international call up with Brazil, yes?
MLS Ticker: Kaka day-to-day with injury; Garber hopes for players like Rooney in MLS; and more
September 10, 2015
http://www.sbisoccer.com/2015/09/injury-players-rooney.html
“Orlando City SC announced Thursday that the star midfielder sustained a muscle strain injury during his international call-up and will be evaluated by club physicians from Orlando Health while being listed as day-to-day.
“We are incredibly disappointed with this recent development for Kaká and for our fans,” said Orlando City general manager Paul McDonough. “He has played 25 games for us so far this season, over 2,100 minutes, without any major issues or concerns. To the contrary, he undergoes one training session and match with the Brazilian National Team and he is injured.””
then, brazil played usa without kaka, yes? it may be nothing. i just like to keep my eye on stuff like this, sometimes.
Have you seen any of CR7’s commercials? About as stiff as his back while he’s running. They would do better if they used cardboard Ronaldo and just Conan O’Brianed his lips!!
Didn’t Rafinha just tear his ACL?
If you read the Brazilian article (use google and translate) Balon may be a key player as he has all sorts of FIFA dirty laundry stories, lets hope he has evidence.
He claims the Valcke told him SIX MONTHS before the vote for the 2022 WC that even though the US promised them they could sell every ticket to a WC in the US, The Emir of Qatar promised to write a check for every seat in the WC in Qatar, because as Valcke told Balon, “he has so much money”
Balon was a sports consultant and was a managing partner in a sports marketing firm ECI, in 2005, his successor, was told to come up with a “gift” of 2million US for Sepp Blatter after ECI was successful in landing Sony as an official FIFA sponsor.
The noose tightens.
And so, Ronaldo wants to be an actor. That is the single biggest fact that leads me to believe that CR7 will be playing in LA in 2018.
Just nitpicking here, but how can a bottomless pit grow larger?
It just grows wider.