Swiss Police Arrest FIFA Officials over US Corruption Allegations
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Six football officials were arrested and detained in Zurich, Switzerland, on Wednesday pending extradition to the United States over suspected corruption, the Swiss Federal Office of Justice said.
"The bribery suspects – representatives of sports media and sports promotion firms – are alleged to have been involved in schemes to make payments to the soccer functionaries – delegates of FIFA and other functionaries of FIFA sub-organizations – totaling more than $100 million," the statement said.
"In return, it is believed that they received media, marketing, and sponsorship rights in connection with soccer tournaments in Latin America."
"According to the US (arrest) request, these crimes were agreed and prepared in the US, and payments were carried out via US banks," it added.
The New York Times, which first reported the story, said more than 10 officials were expected to be indicted on charges spanning two decades of misconduct within FIFA, including racketeering, money laundering and wire fraud.
“(The Times) are publishing three names at this point: Jack Warner, the head of the federation of Trinidad and Tobago; Jeffrey Webb of the Cayman Islands, also, like Jack Warner a member of the FIFA executive committee; and Eugenio Figueredo of Uruguay,” FRANCE 24’s Philip Crowther reported from Washington DC.
“More details should be coming forward relatively soon from the department of justice and from the FBI,” Crowther said.
The officials were in Zurich for the annual FIFA Congress, where incumbent President Sepp Blatter is seeking a fifth term. He faces a challenge from Jordan's Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein in a vote on Friday, France24 reported.
A FIFA representative declined to comment on the arrests, saying the organisation needed to "clarify" the situation.
