FIFA Popcorn

Talk about what's going on in the world of sport.
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Simmo79
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FIFA Popcorn

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Swiss police have begun making arrests as part of a US Justice Department investigation into corruption involving individuals at FIFA, soccer's ruling body.

The Justice Department has indicted several top FIFA officials as part of an investigation that alleges widespread corruption in soccer's governing body over the past two decades, law enforcement officials said on Wednesday (AEST).

It just seemed to permeate every element of the federation and was just their way of doing business. It seems like this corruption was institutionalised.

The charges include wire fraud, racketeering and money laundering. They involve bids for World Cups as well as marketing and broadcast deals, according to three law enforcement officials with direct knowledge of the case.

The Justice Department was working with law enforcement agencies in Switzerland, where FIFA is based, to coordinate arrests. The investigation is based in the Eastern District of New York, in Brooklyn.

The arrests were made as FIFA's 209 national member associations were gathering for the group's presidential election, held every four years. Current President Sepp Blatter faces a challenge from Jordan's Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein in the election.

Prosecutors planned to unseal an indictment as early as Thursday (AEST) against more than 10 current and former soccer executives, the law enforcement officials said. Some of those being charged are living abroad and would face extradition to the United States.

The charges are a startling blow to FIFA, a multibillion-dollar organization that governs the world's most popular sport that has been beset by accusations of corruption and bribery for decades.

The inquiry is also a major threat to Blatter, though officials said he was not charged. An election, seemingly pre-ordained to give him a fifth term as president, is scheduled for Friday.

"We're struck by just how long this went on for and how it touched nearly every part of what FIFA did," said a law enforcement official. "It just seemed to permeate every element of the federation and was just their way of doing business. It seems like this corruption was institutionalised."

With more than $1.5 billion in reserves, FIFA is as much a global financial conglomerate as a sports organization. With countries around the world competing aggressively to win the bid to host the World Cup, Blatter has commanded the fealty of anyone who wanted a piece of that revenue stream. He and FIFA have weathered corruption controversies in the past, but none involved charges of federal crimes in US court.

The case will further mar the reputation of the FIFA leader, who has for years acted as a de facto head of state. Politicians, star players, national soccer officials and global corporations that want their brands attached to the sport have long genuflected before him.

Critics of FIFA point to the lack of transparency regarding executive salaries and resource allocations for an organization that, by its own admission, had revenue of $5.7 billion from 2011 to 2014. Policy decisions are also often taken without debate or explanation, and a small group of officials - known as the executive committee - operates with outsize power.

FIFA has for years operated with little oversight and even less transparency. Alexandra Wrage, a governance consultant who once unsuccessfully attempted to help overhaul FIFA's methods, famously labeled the organization "byzantine and impenetrable."

New York Times with Bloomberg

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/arre ... harcc.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

:popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:

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yob
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Re: FIFA Popcorn

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This is worth watching. at around 4:50 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rhLFDF516Q" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Jack Warner has thrown the spotlight on the USA's involvement in the corruption scandal, linking it with an ill fated attempt to steal the world cup and host it in 2015.

Yes. That's The Onion he's holding.

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dibo
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Re: FIFA Popcorn

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Well, that escalated quickly

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Simmo79
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Re: FIFA Popcorn

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Yeah, this is brilliant. Decades of endemic, entrenched corruption being aired out and accounted for. Love it

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Re: FIFA Popcorn

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Jack Warner: 'I have kept quiet. I will do so no more'


Some extraordinary comments are coming from Jack Warner’s televised address, via tweets from Trinidad and Tobago’s TV6 channel.

You can read the chain of tweets below, but the key points:
“I have kept quiet. I will do so no more.”

Warner says he has given all documents and cheques to a third party, “beyond my own reach”.
He says he will give permission for this third party to release the documents.
He says his lawyers are talking to law enforcement officials, presumably including those in the US who are seeking his extradition.
He says he fears for his life.
http://www.theguardian.com/football/liv ... 202436ca29" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

:popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:

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yob
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Re: FIFA Popcorn

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I'm stuck in Adelaide for a few months before I skip the country. It's a difficult read on how far reaching this scandal is. The bogan foodee media wants it to be corruption endemic to fifa and every man woman and child you played the game. But I can't help but notice how well South America/Carribean is represented in the initial arrests.

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dibo
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Re: FIFA Popcorn

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That's really to do with who they bank with. They're taking their money through the banks based in the nearest financial hubs on the US eastern seaboard. The FBI has jurisdiction and will aggressively investigate any wrongdoing.

The Swiss will get interested in any transactions that go through their banks (though not *too* interested, they've got to be quite careful to not look under any particularly profitable rocks).

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yob
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Re: FIFA Popcorn

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"If evidence should emerge that the awards to Qatar and Russia only came about thanks to bought votes, then the awards could be invalidated," Scala said in an interview published on Sunday. "This evidence has not yet been brought forth."
http://www.theage.com.au/sport/soccer/f ... hinqy.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This still rules Australia out, but presumably we'd only lose 1 vote to 0. Rationale being we bought 2 votes and got 1, and another country got the vote we bought so their 1 vote would stand.

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yob
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Re: FIFA Popcorn

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http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/la ... 7389138568" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
THE FIFA-financed movie United Passions, made only about $US900 ($A1,170) over the weekend, according to person who has seen box-office data from the 10 theatres the film played in.

UNITED Passions cost about $US30 million to make and was bankrolled by FIFA to trumpet the soccer federation's 111-year history.
Wow. Releasing a movie about yourself trying to rewrite the narrative on a current event. I thought only Julian Assange was that pathetic.

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Simmo79
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Re: FIFA Popcorn

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TBF production on their attempt at whitewashing their murky history began *before* the current scandal opened

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yob
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Re: FIFA Popcorn

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Simmo79 wrote:TBF production on their attempt at whitewashing their murky history began *before* the current scandal opened
They should be commended for their proactive attitude in anticipating getting caught and whitewashing the mistakes they intend to continue making. f**k me did I just tear a hole in space time

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