The awarding of the 2010 Soccer World Cup to South Africa will be investigated as part of the United States Department of Justice’s probe into corruption, bribery and kickbacks among top FIFA officials.
A number of FIFA executives were arrested in Zurich, Switzerland, on Wednesday for their alleged involvement in corruption worth millions.
According reports in the media those arrested include Jeffrey Webb, Eugenio Figueredo, Jack Warner, Eduardo Li, Julio Rocha, Costas Takkas, Rafael Esquivel, José Maria Marin and Nicolás Leoz.
It was reported sports-marketing executives Alejandro Burzaco, Aaron Davidson, Hugo Jinkis and Mariano Jinkis would also be charged.
A number of FIFA executives were arrested in Zurich, Switzerland, on Wednesday for their alleged involvement in corruption worth millions.
According reports in the media those arrested include Jeffrey Webb, Eugenio Figueredo, Jack Warner, Eduardo Li, Julio Rocha, Costas Takkas, Rafael Esquivel, José Maria Marin and Nicolás Leoz.
It was reported sports-marketing executives Alejandro Burzaco, Aaron Davidson, Hugo Jinkis and Mariano Jinkis would also be charged.
“Two generations of soccer officials abused their positions of trust for personal gain, frequently through an alliance with unscrupulous sports marketing executives who shut out competitors and kept highly lucrative contracts for themselves through the systematic payment of bribes and kickbacks,” said a statement from the department of Justice.
“All told, the soccer officials are charged with conspiring to solicit and receive well over $150 million in bribes and kickbacks in exchange for their official support of the sports marketing executives who agreed to make the unlawful payments.”
According to the statement, Nike’s record-breaking sponsorship deal with the Brazilian national football team and the election of Sepp Blatter as FIFA president in 2011 are also part of the investigation.
“Other alleged schemes relate to the payment and receipt of bribes and kickbacks in connection with the sponsorship of the Brazilian national soccer federation (CBF) by a major US sportswear company, the selection of the host country for the 2010 World Cup and the 2011 FIFA presidential election.”
“All told, the soccer officials are charged with conspiring to solicit and receive well over $150 million in bribes and kickbacks in exchange for their official support of the sports marketing executives who agreed to make the unlawful payments.”
According to the statement, Nike’s record-breaking sponsorship deal with the Brazilian national football team and the election of Sepp Blatter as FIFA president in 2011 are also part of the investigation.
“Other alleged schemes relate to the payment and receipt of bribes and kickbacks in connection with the sponsorship of the Brazilian national soccer federation (CBF) by a major US sportswear company, the selection of the host country for the 2010 World Cup and the 2011 FIFA presidential election.”
By: Farai Diza
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