The FIFA corruption scandal (“ FIFA Gate ”) is the largest corruption scandal in the history of FIFA [1] . It erupted at the end of May 2015 , when the Swiss authorities arrested several high-ranking FIFA officials on corruption charges. [2] The arrest took place two days before the . Due to the scandal, the newly elected FIFA President Joseph Blatter announced on June 2, 2015 his decision to resign [3] [4] [5] . As part of the scandal on October 8, 2015, the FIFA Ethics Committee Arbitration Chamber dismissed Joseph Blatter and Michel Platini from their posts for 90 days. [6]
Content
Background
Evidence of systemic corruption in the FIFA leadership has appeared over the years [7] . This problem was especially evident in 2010 when considering applications for two subsequent world championships: 2018 and 2022. The choice of little Qatar (2022), with its unbearable heat, made against the opinion of the FIFA technical committee, immediately raised suspicions of bribery. The leak of internal information and further investigation of the Sunday Times yielded comprehensive data indicating the illegal actions of Qatari Mohammed bin Hammam , head of the Asian Football Confederation in 2002-2011. The latter allegedly bribed representatives of African countries, spending at least $ 5 million on this [7] . The official investigation by FIFA on this episode yielded no results; the possibility of reviewing applications was categorically rejected, while critics were branded as racists and losers [7] .
Corollary
Arrests and searches
On May 27, 2015, on the eve of the FIFA Congress in Zurich , the Swiss police, on the recommendation of the FBI, arrested seven senior officials of the association. The following were arrested: FIFA vice president and executive committee member head of CONCACAF , Eugenio Figuiredo (former president of the Uruguayan Football Association and CONMEBOL ), head of the Costa Rica Football Federation ), Julio Rocha (FIFA Director Development), (head ), (formerly President of the Brazilian Confederation of Football ) and Nicholas Leos (formerly President of CONMEBOL ). At the same time, US police raided the CONCACAF headquarters in Miami [8] .
US Attorney General Loretta Lynch said that the list of defendants will expand [9] .
Along with the publication of the conclusion of the US Department of Justice, the Swiss prosecutor's office announced that it was conducting its own investigation into the consideration of applications for holding the world championships: Russia (2018) and Qatar (2022). The investigation concerns the actions of some officials suspected of “criminal negligence” and money laundering. Swiss authorities froze the accounts of some FIFA officials and seized the relevant financial documents [9] [10] . The British Financial Crime Agency ( Serious Fraud Office ) has launched an investigation into the role of banks involved in dubious transactions [9] .
The essence of the charges
The conclusion contains charges of organized criminal activity ( English Racketeering ), kickbacks , money laundering and a number of other crimes that have taken place over the course of 24 years [approx. 1] .
The objectives of corruption included the distribution of venues for the World Championships , as well as the rights to broadcast matches and advertisements [9] [approx. 2] . The conclusion also contains an assumption of bribery in the appointment of the World Championships in South Africa (2010) , Russia (2018) and Qatar (2022) [11] .
In conclusion, there are 14 high-ranking FIFA functionaries, among which Jeffrey Webb and Jack Warner, the current and former presidents of CONCACAF , respectively, are highlighted [12] . The indictment contains the assumption of receiving and giving bribes worth more than $ 150 million.
US jurisdiction
American justice investigates and prosecutes offenses, not only committed in the United States, but also committed using the US banking system or US dollars . Such actions can be considered in American courts, and suspects are delivered to the United States through extradition [9] .
In the case of FIFA, suspect Chuck Blazer lived in New York . The defendants, both FIFA functionaries and employees of companies involved in corrupt transactions with the association, held meetings in the United States; Some of the more than 30 banks through which illegal transactions were conducted are American [9] .
Federal law enforcement agencies (the FBI , the Justice Ministry and the tax service ) have been investigating the FIFA case for three years. On May 20, 2015, the Brooklyn Grand Jury approved 47 points of indictment [12] [approx. 3] [approx. 4] .
International Reaction
Most European countries responded positively to the investigation, believing that FIFA has long been a hotbed of corruption and needs reforms and staffing changes. At the same time, Spain and France on May 29, 2015 voted for the re-election of Joseph Blatter as president of FIFA [9] [13] [approx. 5] . The president of Russia is also an active supporter of Blatter: Vladimir Putin warmly congratulated Blatter on his re-election and expressed confidence that “ professionalism and high authority will help Blatter continue to help expand the geography and popularity of football ” [15] . Putin also said that he considers the arrests of FIFA officials to be an attempt by the United States to extend its jurisdiction to other states and prevent Blatter from being re-elected for another term [15] .
The head of UEFA, Michel Platini, said that if Blatter is re-elected, the European Football Association will boycott the World Cup [15] . The vice-president of the English Football Association, David Gill, refused to take his proposed place in the FIFA Executive Committee in protest against the choice of Blatter for a new term [13] .
The Australian Football Federation , which transferred half a million dollars to the accounts of the International Football Federation, raises the suspicion that the money was appropriated by former FIFA vice president Jack Warner [16] .
Consequences
On June 2, 2015, FIFA’s newly elected president Joseph Blatter announced his decision to resign “due to the corruption scandal surrounding the organization” [3] [4] . It was stated that if violations were discovered, decisions on holding the World Cup in Russia in Qatar and Qatar in 2022 [17] [18] could be revised.
Developments
- September 17, 2015 : FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valke suspended from work on suspicion of “unfair performance of duties”. The official statement said that FIFA became aware of the possible involvement of Valke in the sale of tickets for World Cup matches at very high prices [19] .
- September 24, 2015: The Swiss Attorney General opened a criminal case against Sepp Blatter. Blatter is accused of criminal negligence or embezzlement of funds [20] .
- October 3, 2015: FIFA's largest sponsors — Coca-Cola , McDonald's , Visa, and Budweiser — called for the immediate resignation of Sepp Blatter as FIFA President [21] .
- October 8 : FIFA Ethics Committee Arbitration Chamber dismisses Joseph Blatter and Michel Platini from their posts for 90 days. [6]
- November 3 : Former President of the Brazilian Football Confederation Jose Maria Marin, previously arrested in the FIFA corruption case, extradited from Switzerland to the United States [22] .
- December 2 : Alfredo Havit, President of the Confederation of Football of North and Central America and the Caribbean ( CONCACAF ) and Juan Напngel Napout , President of the South American Confederation of Football ( CONMEBOL ), who are vice-presidents of FIFA, are arrested at the request of US authorities in Switzerland [23] ,
- December 3 : Ricardo Teixeira, former president of the Brazilian Football Confederation, and her current head, Marco Polo del Nero , are detained. [24]
- December 21 : Following an investigation by the FIFA Ethics Committee, Joseph Blatter and Michel Platini were suspended from "any football-related activities" for a period of eight years. The ban takes effect immediately. In addition, fines were imposed: Blatter - $ 40,000, Platini - $ 80,000. Neither Blatter nor Platini pleaded guilty and are going to appeal the decision in the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne [25] .
- In June 2017, the head of the investigative chamber of the FIFA Ethics Committee, Michael Garcia, presented a report in which he confirmed that Russia did not affect the voting process in choosing the venue for the 2018 World Cup [26] .
Notes
- Comments
- ↑ Acceptance of bribes is not one of the charges of the Justice Ministry, since this type of crime in the United States refers only to bribing government officials. The charges against FIFA functionaries are based on the Law on Criminal Organizations and include a wide range of unlawful actions in the financial sector ( America's legal reach. The world's lawyer , The Economist, Jun 6th 2015).
- ↑ According to The Economist magazine, FIFA’s revenues from the sale of advertising and broadcast rights during the 2014 Brazil Championship were $ 4 billion. According to the magazine, these funds could be used by the FIFA leadership to bribe representatives of poor countries , especially African ones, including during the voting on Blatter’s candidacy ( “Corruption in football. At last, a challenge to the impunity of FIFA”, The Economist , May 30th 2015).
- ↑ In countries with the Anglo-Saxon system of law ( common law ), serious crimes are not charged by the prosecutor's office , but by a special elected body - a grand jury. Without the indictment of a grand jury, a case cannot go to a jury .
- ↑ The US Embassy in Russia indicated that the 2018 World Cup is not mentioned in the indictment ( Spokeswoman for the US Embassy: “The investigation into the FIFA scandal has nothing to do with Russia and the 2018 World Cup” Sports.Ru . Date appeals May 29, 2015. ).
- ↑ Blatter was re-elected FIFA President for a new term thanks to the massive support of African and Latin American delegates. [14]
- Footnotes
- ↑ FIFA President Blatter resigns after scandal and re-election // NTV.Ru
- ↑ Ivan Tarasenko. Why did the arrests happen before the presidential election? 5 questions about the FIFA gate . " Soviet Sport " (May 27, 2015). Date of treatment June 25, 2018.
- ↑ 1 2 “Joseph Blatter resigns as FIFA President,” BBC Russian, June 2, 2015.
- ↑ 1 2 Vyacheslav Koloskov: “Blatter’s departure may be connected with new facts in the investigation of the scandal” . Eurosport 2 (06/06/2015). Date of treatment June 2, 2015.
- ↑ Media: Joseph Blatter stepped down as president of FIFA on the advice of lawyers . TASS (June 3). Date of treatment June 4, 2015.
- ↑ 1 2 Blatter and Platini removed from their posts for three months
- ↑ 1 2 3 “Corruption in football. At last, a challenge to the impunity of FIFA ”, The Economist , May 30th 2015
- ↑ Matthew, Jennie. US prosecutors allege 'World Cup' of soccer fraud . - AFP, 27 May 2015.
- ↑ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 “How America is pursuing FIFA” , The Economist , 1 June 2015
- ↑ BBC: “FIFA scandal: Blatter calls for unity”
- ↑ “Sepp Blatter's FIFA: The man who wouldn't give up” The Economist , May 30th 2015
- ↑ 1 2 “What are the American charges against FIFA officials?”, BBC , May 28, 2015
- ↑ 1 2 Corruption in football: Untangling FIFA's mysteries // The Economist, 2 June, 2015
- ↑ Joseph Blatter won the FIFA presidential election. Live Broadcast . Moscow Komsomolets (May 29, 2015). Date of treatment June 5, 2015.
- ↑ 1 2 3 Putin congratulated Blatter on his re-election as FIFA President
- ↑ Australia accused the former FIFA vice president of misappropriating $ 500 thousand . LifeNews (May 29, 2015). Date of treatment June 3, 2015.
- ↑ A criminal case has been instituted in Switzerland to choose the venues for the 2018 World Cup and the 2022 World Cup . Interfax (May 27, 2015). Date of treatment June 9, 2015.
- ↑ FIFA: Russia and Qatar may lose their right to championships - BBC Russian Service . bbc.com. Date of treatment June 11, 2015.
- ↑ “FIFA Secretary General Jerome Walcke suspended from work”
- ↑ "In Switzerland, brought the case to the head of FIFA Blatter"
- ↑ “Coca-Cola and McDonald's called for Blatter's immediate resignation,” BBC, October 3, 2015
- ↑ “Fifa crisis: Brazil's Jose Maria Marin extradited over bribery” , BBC, 11/4/2015
- ↑ Two FIFA officials arrested on U.S. charges of bribe , RIA Novosti, December 2, 2015
- ↑ Two high-ranking FIFA officials were detained in Zurich , Kommersant, 12/3/2015
- ↑ “Fifa: Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini get eight-year bans” , BBC Sport, December 21, 2015
- ↑ FIFA: Russia won the 2018 World Cup by honest means . RuNews24.ru ( 06/28/2017 ).
Links
- US indictment is the text of the charge.