By SBI SOCCER
The walls are closing in on FIFA president Sepp Blatter.
The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) announced Friday that it had opened criminal proceedings against Blatter on “suspicion of criminal mismanagement,” as well as “misappropriation.”
Moments before the announcement, FIFA cancelled a planned press conference with Blatter, and according to AP, Swiss authorities searched and seized data from his office.
“On the one hand, the OAG suspects that on 12 September 2005 Mr. Joseph Blatter has signed a contract with the Caribbean Football Union (with Jack Warner as the President at this time); this contract was unfavorable for FIFA,” a statement from the OAG reads.
“On the other hand, there is as suspicion that, in the implementation of this agreement, Joseph Blatter also violated his fiduciary duties and acted against the interest of FIFA and/or FIFA Marketing & TV AG.”
Current president of Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and possible FIFA president Michel Platini is suspected of being involved in a transaction with Blatter during 2011.
What do you think of this development? Think the Swiss will find evidence to convict Blatter of crimes? See Blatter escaping prosecution? Hoping this development means Qatar 2022 can still be cancelled?
Share your thoughts below.
The bigger question will be – Why do we need FIFA? It is true that soccer should have standardized rules and an organization to oversea major tournaments, but every other function of FIFA can be conducted by national or continental organizations. FIFA board membership should include minimal pay and all FIFA profits should go back to representative countries in proportion to the share they invest. WC Bids should be evaluated for quality, and then thrown into a lottery. There is really no need for this monstrosity that Blatter has constructed.
Added bonus is that “Blatter-lite” Platini has been implicated too.
I am very glad that the Swiss authorities are now helping/assisting the US in convicting the many FIFA criminals and helping to clean-up this very corrupt organization. It is good that the local Swiss are now on board because they know how to handle Swiss cheese (the type with the many small & large holes). Blatter & his many cohorts (including former soccer heroes Platini & Beckenbauer) need to eliminated and/or serve prison terms. Also the Russian and Qatar WC awards should be rescinded there-by punishing these two corrupt countries plus the war criminal Putin for using bribery to get these awards. Finally start with a totally new FIFA board & require transparent future actions with regular independent audits.
Beh…. no surprise here, other than it took ’em long enough.
Remember. The USA investigative unit that over many years dilligently and patiently prepared the case v. FIFA, Warner, Valke, Blatter, et al – is the same branch of the FBI that took down the NY/NJ/CT Mob.
This ain’t no disco, this ain’t no party, this ain’t no foolin’ around!
Your arms are too short to box with God.
Sepp……..?
Rumor has it that he was seriously going to announce that he wasn’t stepping down. Talk about timing!
I so hope that Platani gets sucked into this as well. I do not want him as the next successor!!
I repeat,I did not take part in any corruption whatsoever. I’m the head of FIFA and the light of the sporting world. Will that be check or cash?
The mindset of the ultimate Eurosnob is ultimately egotistical. He must have thought he could get away with it because he had for so.many.years! Let’s hope for justice to prevail and a re-bid of 2022.
What’s the point of searching offices of FIFA execs now? With what’s been going on the last few months, all the evidence must have long been destroyed. Unless Blatter and his lieutenants are extremely stupid.
“Unless Blatter and his lieutenants are extremely stupid”
Agreed but, at this point, what proof is there that they are not extremely stupid?
Lets not forget that many of these top FIFA officials are our grandparents and parents ages and may not REALLY know how a lot technology works. Could be a case of thinking “well I deleted it from my inbox, erased my browser history, and deleted all cookies so I should be good to go.” All the while not realizing that all this information is easily retrievable with skilled professionals.
You know you messed up when you got beef with the Swiss…
I bet while Sepp was discussing how much bribe money Qatar would pay out to his comrades, the question was brought in whether the US would just sit back and let a guarantee world cup bid slip away into the hands of Qatar and Sepp, being his ignorant self, probably said “ehhhhh it’s the US, no there cares about soccer, not one person will flinch over the US losing a world cup bid, especially it being for soccer.”, well I bet he’s now looking back wishing he didn’t mess with the Great Ole U.S. of A!!!
wow, it seems like dalomismo nailed it:
“And could it be………… that unsealing Valcke’s emails just may get them what they reeeeeally want. Access to incriminating correspondence with Blatter. Noose is getting tighter.”
http://www.sbisoccer.com/2015/09/barcelona-thrashed-prosecutors.html#comment-1591043