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TOBOR !
08-23-2011, 08:38 AM
FBI examines U.S. soccer boss's financial records (http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/16/us-soccer-fifa-fbi-idUSTRE77F6UT20110816)


(Reuters) - The FBI is examining documents charting more than $500,000 in payments made by a Caribbean soccer group to a top U.S. official of the sport that has been shaken internationally by corruption allegations.


Back in May, Lisle Austin attempted to have Chuck Blazer removed as General Secretary of CONCACAF. (http://www.concacaf.com/page/ConfederationDetail/0,,12813~2369780,00.html)

Unsuccessfully. More about that here :

FIFA suspends Caribbean official Lisle Austin in fallout from bribery scandal (http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/dcunited/fifa-suspends-caribbean-official-lisle-austin-in-fallout-from-bribery-scandal/2011/08/10/gIQAbdfj6I_story.html)

Lisle Austin doesn't appear to be squeaky clean either, but who in CONCACAF is ?

Oldtimer
08-23-2011, 09:04 AM
Shocking that a US official was implicated, but maybe helps explain the otherwise unexplainable support Jack Warner has had for years.

This is huge news.

TOBOR !
08-23-2011, 09:12 AM
especially since Blazer is the guy who alerted FIFA to Warner's nefarious activity. Austin's attempt to unseat Blazer actually appears to paint him (Austin) with the same brush as Warner, but he may have been on to something. Further to that, there are probably Warner sympathisers still in CONCACAF - and just what the hell was Blazer's motivation in going to FIFA ?

WestStandGeoff
08-23-2011, 09:15 AM
Good.

WestStandGeoff
08-23-2011, 09:17 AM
especially since Blazer is the guy who alerted FIFA to Warner's nefarious activity. Austin's attempt to unseat Blazer actually appears to paint him (Austin) with the same brush as Warner, but he may have been on to something. Further to that, there are probably Warner sympathisers still in CONCACAF - and just what the hell was Blazer's motivation in going to FIFA ?

Jedi mind trick... no, don't worry about all this money I'm pouring into my Cayman accounts. Hey! Look at what's going on over there!!!

TOBOR !
08-23-2011, 09:18 AM
more on Austin's reasoning here : Concacaf acting president Lisle Austin fires whistleblowing general secretary Chuck Blazer (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/international/8549155/Concacaf-acting-president-Lisle-Austin-fires-whistleblowing-general-secretary-Chuck-Blazer.html)

Now, this is also from back in May, but it sheds a bit of light on Austin's motivation.


The acting president also said Blazer had "improperly appointed five non-elected members of Concacaf to congress."

Perhaps the same members who blocked Austin's attempt to remove Blazer ?

TOBOR !
08-23-2011, 09:22 AM
FIFA suspended Austin because he took his removal from CONCACAF to the public courts... I wonder what they're afraid of ?

TOBOR !
08-23-2011, 09:34 AM
Statement from Lisle Austin in Response to FIFA Proceedings (http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/11/idUS266384+11-Aug-2011+PRN20110811)




FIFA's desperate attempt to suspend me through its kangaroo court affirms that it believes my rights to judicial due process are inferior to its interests of sweeping under the rug any attempt to bring transparency to the football world.

TOBOR !
08-23-2011, 09:57 AM
... and related to this whole business :

Mohamed bin Hammam 'suspicious' over Fifa's ban delay (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/14419930.stm)

Oh, man... this is gonna blow up HUGE... I don't see Blatter wriggling out of this one.

TOBOR !
08-23-2011, 10:11 AM
Transparency International has some ideas for FIFA (http://www.transparency.org/news_room/in_focus/2011/fifa_curing_a_crisis_of_integrity)


Transparency International recommends that FIFA accept a group made up of representatives of various groups with a stake in the game that can oversee reforms such as:
•Tackling all outstanding corruption allegations in a sufficient manner through an independent investigation led by a professional firm
•Establishing clear rules for dealing with future allegations of corruption, including whistleblower protections, empowering the Ethics Committee to launch investigations in the future, and publishing lists of breaches and sanctions
•Reviewing FIFA’s code of ethics and organisational structure, and introducing new procedures that ensure transparency and good governance:
•term limits for senior positions
•a conflict of interest policy
•having external figures sit on committees where there are corruption risks, such as the Ethics Committee or committees selecting World Cup host countries
•Expanding reporting beyond financial data to include implementation of anti-corruption policies.

ag futbol
08-23-2011, 10:24 AM
FIFA is due for an IOC style shake-down any time now.

Governments need the distraction and the level of dysfunction has reached epic proportions. Of course if you listen to FIFA talk you'd think they operate from another sovereign planet and no government has any business telling it what to do.

Redcoe15
08-23-2011, 10:25 AM
... and related to this whole business :

Mohamed bin Hammam 'suspicious' over Fifa's ban delay (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/14419930.stm)

Oh, man... this is gonna blow up HUGE... I don't see Blatter wriggling out of this one.
With Blatter's size, he more likely has to roll his way out. Here's hoping some much needed good comes out of this.

TOBOR !
08-23-2011, 01:05 PM
I know I'm a bit of a dog on a bone with this today, but in my Googlings I came across this site you should check out if interested in all this business :

Transparency in Sport (http://www.transparencyinsport.org/)

It's Andrew Jennings, the Panorama reporter who exposed FIFA corruptuion on the eve of the 2018/2022 World Cup draw.

There's really too much stuff to link to in this post... loads on FIFA corruption - people I've never heard of.

TOBOR !
08-23-2011, 01:13 PM
Beyond The Pitch (http://www.beyondthepitch.net/)

Andrew Jennings talks about Chuck Blazer

http://a3.twimg.com/profile_images/1187148870/facebook-twibbon_normal.jpg
changeFIFA (http://twitter.com/#!/changeFIFA) changeFIFA



MUST LISTEN: Legend @AAndrewJennings (http://twitter.com/AAndrewJennings) talks Chuck Blazer with @BeyondthePitch (http://twitter.com/BeyondthePitch)http://www.beyondthepitch.net/podcasts/edition/index.cfm/beyond-the-pitch/2011/08/20/andrew-jennings/ (http://t.co/gono0pf)

14 minutes ago (http://twitter.com/#!/changeFIFA/status/106062912631746560)

edit - Ben Rycroft has him on as well - link here (http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?2149-It-s-Called-Football-Guest-Andrew-Jennings)

TOBOR !
08-23-2011, 01:35 PM
crap... I'm spending wayyyyy too much time on this today. Getting hardly any work done... Here's an entry from Declan Hill's blog, linked to by ChangeFIFA :

FIFA's New Match-Fixing Initiatives Called Merely "A Public Relations Campaign" By Expert

The Lapland Police Force, the Zimbabwean Football Association and What is Really Going On (http://www.howtofixasoccergame.com/blog/?p=188)

He discusses match fixing and what FIFA is (or rather, isn't) doing about it.

Damn you, Denime.

TOBOR !
08-23-2011, 02:00 PM
as reported by the Trinidad Guardian : Blazer denies probe by FBI (http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2011/08/17/blazer-denies-probe-fbi)



Commenting on the FBI probe of Blazer, Warner said recently:
“This is the tip of the iceberg. In the fullness of time much more will be revealed. The avalanche is yet to come.”

TOBOR !
08-26-2011, 08:21 AM
Chuck Blazer blogs (http://chuckblazer.blogspot.com/)


Since my birthday in April, I have only made posts on my blog a couple of times. Once to show a video interview of me on the way into FIFA for the meeting of the Executive Committee in May following the initial suspensions of the Warner/Bin Hammam case brought by me to the Ethics Committee; and the other set of videos coming from the CONCACAF website dealing with the magic of this year's Gold Cup competition.


from his header pic it looks like they had to remove a seat in order to get him and Nelson Mandela in the same shot. Nelson looks like he's feeling pretty good.

TOBOR !
08-26-2011, 08:41 AM
something else I dug up - not much 'news' on ths issue, as such, but a bit more detail :

FIFA suspends 16 as bribery investigations continue (http://www.sharenews.com/sports/2011/08/18/fifa-suspends-16-bribery-investigations-continue)



The 16 Caribbean officials being investigated are Colin Klass and Noel Adonis (Guyana), David Hinds and Mark Forde (Barbados), Franka Pickering and Aubrey Liburd (British Virgin Islands), Osiris Guzman and Felix Ledesma (Dominican Republic), Joseph Delves and Ian Hypolite (St. Vincent & the Grenadines), Hillaren Frederick (U.S. Virgin Islands), Richard Groden (Trinidad & Tobago), Patrick Mathurin (St. Lucia), Anthony Johnson (St. Kitts & Nevis), David Frederick (Cayman Islands) and Yves Jean-Bart (Haiti).

Mikey
08-26-2011, 03:55 PM
I assume its an FBI issue due to the international corporation bribery law in the US, a version of which was also recently implemented in the UK. Hopefully they can track the rotten stink all the way back to Blatter.....

TOBOR !
08-29-2011, 07:50 AM
Blatter Prepares to Reveal Reforms; Bin Hammam Attacks Valcke (http://www.worldfootballinsider.com/Story.aspx?id=34617)


Bin Hammam, meanwhile, continues to criticise FIFA over its treatment of him in the fall-out from his lifetime ban. In a blog published today, he prints a letter from Valcke to the Caribbean FAs on July 25 - two days after he was convicted of bribery - "threatening them to either admit that they have been bribed or he will open an investigation to find out if I have bribed them or not!!", Bin Hammam writes.

Bin Hamman's Blog (http://www.mohamedbinhammam.com/en/Blog/blog.php?menuNum=31) (letter from FIFA attached).

Redcoe15
08-29-2011, 09:25 AM
Blatter Prepares to Pay Lip Service in Order for People to Stop Riding his Fat, Corpulent Ass and Not Find Out Where the True Corruption in FIFA Lies (http://www.worldfootballinsider.com/Story.aspx?id=34617)
Fixed! :devil:

TOBOR !
08-29-2011, 08:37 PM
LOL.

Continuing to connect the dots...

Blatter sought advice from global anti-corruption group Transparency International, which published a comprehensive program it believed FIFA could and should follow. (http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jdf0DL-TZGIBD1-Af01OEEDRlujQ?docId=e5a9f6d0c7b04129b5b3c4b7fd6213 f7)

But he tries to convince us that he was already working on the very same ideas suggested to him.

More : Rummenigge warns FIFA of 'revolution from outside' (http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/soccer/story/Rummenigge-warns-FIFA-of-revolution-from-outside-97218234#ixzz1W9UIzGkJ)



''The clubs are unhappy. FIFA and UEFA need the clubs for a World Cup or European Championship. But the clubs don't need them. Theoretically, we could play Bundesliga and Champions League - even without the associations,'' he said.

TOBOR !
08-29-2011, 08:51 PM
Complaint letter sent by ChangeFIFA to FIFA Ethics Committee (http://changefifa.posterous.com/67509865)

Official complaint calling upon the Ethics Committee to launch an immediate investigation of Mr. Chuck Blazer.

TOBOR !
08-30-2011, 07:33 AM
He’s back: the return of Mohamed Bin Hammam (http://www.worldsoccer.com/columnists/hes-back-the-return-of-mohamed-bin-hammam) - Keir Radnedge - World Soccer

Mohamed Bin Hammam has been banished from football over bribery allegations but FIFA cannot ban him from social networking and this is the public launchpad for his fightback.

TOBOR !
08-30-2011, 07:37 AM
This dates back a few days, but in the interest of related material all in one place :

Teixeira accused of embezzlement in further blow to Fifa and Blatter (http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/teixeira-accused-of-embezzlement-in-further-blow-to-fifa-and-blatter-2338653.html) - Robin Scott-Elliot, Sports News Correspondent


A police investigation is under way in Brazil into the use of £2.5m paid to a company to market the match, amid allegations that Teixeira received some of the funds.

TOBOR !
08-30-2011, 07:44 AM
Required reading :

The lords of the rings: Power, money, and drugs in the modern Olympics (http://www.amazon.com/lords-rings-Power-modern-Olympics/dp/0773726365) - Vyv Simson and Andrew Jennings.

and...

Foul!: The Secret World of FIFA: Bribes, Vote Rigging and Ticket Scandals (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1479691.Foul_) - Andrew Jennings.

edit - to clean up/complete post.

It'll be interesting to read a follow-up version to Foul ! in a few years time.

TOBOR !
08-31-2011, 07:00 AM
Caribbean football must avoid FIFA abyss (http://www.playthegame.org/news/detailed/caribbean-football-must-avoid-fifa-abyss-5222.html) - Lasana Liburd - playthegame.org

“Will Caribbean football crumble without the man they called ‘Teflon Jack’”, journalist Lasana Liburd asks in this comment piece discussing how football in the Caribbean will go on after Jack Warner resigned as head of CONCACAF and CFU amid corruption allegations.


Conceit, according to United States sales guru Zig Ziglar, is the one disease that makes everyone sick except the one who has it.

Oldtimer
08-31-2011, 07:03 AM
Thanks for keeping us updated on this ongoing scandal. Sure makes for interesting reading.

TOBOR !
08-31-2011, 07:22 AM
more : Fifa 'failed to probe' Sri Lanka football corruption (http://print.dailymirror.lk/sports/128-local/54581.html) - By Saroj Pathirana, BBC Sinhala service




Anti-graft campaigners in Sri Lanka have accused the world football governing body, Fifa, of not carrying out a proper investigation on allegations of serious corruption in Sri Lanka football. Ravaya journalist Tiran Kumara Bangamaarachchi and Daily Mirror columnist Vijitha Fernando say the world body has failed to take any action though they have been reporting serious corruption in the game for years.

TOBOR !
08-31-2011, 07:26 AM
CAS set date for Adamu hearing (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/14701536.stm) - BBC


The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has set a date to hear former Fifa executive committee member Amos Adamu appeal his ban for corruption


The Nigerian will challenge his three-year ban on 4 October.

TOBOR !
08-31-2011, 07:32 AM
Thanks for keeping us updated on this ongoing scandal. Sure makes for interesting reading.

Jack Warner said there's a Tsunami coming, and just by reading over some of the articles in this thread I'd say he's spot on.

Confirmation of Amos Adamu (Nigeria), Ahongalu Fusimalohi (Tonga), and Amadou Diakite's (Mali) hearing dates at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. (http://www.tas-cas.org/en/infogenerales.asp/4-3-4704-1092-4-1-1/5-0-1092-15-1-1/)

TOBOR !
08-31-2011, 08:21 AM
... and just in case all this isn't enough for you and you'd like it all summarised into something abou the size of a two fold pamphlet, there's this :

Corruption, Murder, and the Beautiful Game (http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/6861161/corruption-murder-beautiful-game) (On FIFA's scandalous history) - Brian Phillips - Grantland

it starts off talking about the 2018/22 World Cup bids and then backtracks to the demise of Rous and the rise of Havelange, and then Blatter.

TOBOR !
09-01-2011, 07:05 AM
another piece of the puzzle. This article is dated August 11 (so don't expect any 'news', but rather more details, names of participants) :

SKNFA President to face FIFA Ethics Committee (http://www.sknvibes.com/news/newsdetails.cfm/38151)

TOBOR !
09-01-2011, 03:30 PM
shit, meet fan

Jack Warner statement on Chuck Blazer - 31st August 2011 (http://richardmconway.posterous.com/jack-warner-statement-on-chuck-blazer-31st-au)



... The payment I made to Blazer of $250,000 was the last of three payments which together totalled $750,000. The earlier payments were for $295,000 and $205,000. These were absolutely not in repayment for any loan. I have never had occasion to borrow money from Blazer. These monies were paid from the Carribean Football Union’s account with funds received from FIFA. I do not know why Blazer is pretending otherwise.


oooo this is getting good ! hee hee !!!

DichioTFC
09-01-2011, 04:03 PM
What's that saying about people in glass houses throwing stones?

But for real, this is getting ridiculous. How can we expect objective referees if the crooks at the top stay in power?

Roogsy
09-01-2011, 04:20 PM
There is only one possible conclusion of this entire debacle:

There are NO compliance, monitoring nor accountability standards in place at CONCACAF. All of this is coming to light for one simple reason: One crook turned on another. Certainly not the most effective policing method known to man.

There are tiny mom-and-pop businesses that have more controls in place that this farce of an organization.

CretanBull
09-01-2011, 04:23 PM
^ That's true, and unfortunately it doesn't just apply to CONCACAF - but to all of FIFA.

Roogsy
09-01-2011, 04:25 PM
If Jack really wants to screw Blazer, he should get the IRS after him for these illegal payments. Of course, that would simply certify him as a crook as well. But at least not an American crook meaning he is out of reach of the American authorities. Blazer does not have that luxury.

Off-shore accounts are the favourite target of US tax authorities. Not only could Blazer be screwed at FIFA, he could go to jail.

Oldtimer
09-01-2011, 06:07 PM
shit, meet fan

Jack Warner statement on Chuck Blazer - 31st August 2011 (http://richardmconway.posterous.com/jack-warner-statement-on-chuck-blazer-31st-au)



oooo this is getting good ! hee hee !!!

:lurk5: They are all ratting on each other. Very interesting...

TOBOR !
09-01-2011, 06:32 PM
this is obviously part of Warner's Tsunami. I'm curious to see how the dominos topple and if they'll even connect to Blatter. Also interesting will be Lisle Austin's case. If Blazer is exposed does that mean he'll be reinstated. The CFU are small potatoes in this. The entire Executive Committee could get taken down. I'd love to see Teixeira out as well. This'll end in long jail sentences and a suicide or two.

TOBOR !
09-02-2011, 07:11 AM
Warner: I never borrowed from Blazer (http://www.newsday.co.tt/sport/0,146619.html) - printed in the Trinidad and Tobago news. essentially a reprint of Jack Warner's letter, linked above, but no source credited.

Valcke ‘fabricated’ bribery claims, says Bin Hammam (http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/qatar/163532-valcke-fabricated-bribery-claims-says-bin-hammam.html) - The Peninsula



DOHA: Former Asian Football Confederation President Mohamed bin Hammam has accused Fifa Secretary General Jerome Valcke of “fabricating” bribery claims with regard to Qatar winning the hosting rights for the 2022 World Cup.

TOBOR !
09-02-2011, 08:54 AM
Here's a blog entry from Sepp himself (http://www.insideworldfootball.biz/sepp-blatter-column/9247-sepp-blatter-it-gives-me-no-joy). Posted in 'Inside World Football', it's dated 26 May, 2011. Not 'recent', but a look into the mind of the man soon to be wriggling on the hook. There haven't been any entries since this one. Perhaps he's been busy looking for a good place to bild a bunker.


I am all for the zero-tolerance policy I announced a while back and will continue to fight corruption in football to the best of my ability. But I also admire Chuck Blazer's civic courage and an initiative that resulted from reports he received from within the confederation he administers as its Secretary General. And from nowhere else.

"and from nowhere else". Not sure what he's trying to do here - separate himself from the situation, give all responsibility to Blazer, or hang Warner out to dry... maybe all of the above.

... and there's a great bit at the bottom about a cow. No idea where he's taking us with that one.

TOBOR !
09-02-2011, 01:11 PM
Now, I don't know if this is evidence of further FIFA shadyness or not, but let's face it, these days if your Grandmother took a job with them you'd stop trusting her, right ?

So anyway, a company called Bridgepoint (in the business of sporting events rights management) has just purchased another company named InFront. Now, InFront is the current rights-holder to the next World Cup (Brazil 2014). Since Bridgepoint is purchasing 100% of InFront, it means that all the shareholders will be cashed out.

It goes on to say "Management will be given a significant stake in the company going forward that is expected to make them multi-millionaires.. ".

Now, rather than spoil the surprise, I'll simply direct you to the article.

Bridgepoint buys Swiss sports rights company (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/banksandfinance/privateequity/8737752/Bridgepoint-buys-Swiss-sports-rights-company.html)

I think you'll find it interesting.

TOBOR !
09-03-2011, 09:13 PM
German football legend Rummenigge bids to clean up FIFA (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-2033208/Charles-Sale-German-football-legend-Rummenigge-bids-clean-FIFA.html) - Charles Sale - The Daily Mail

More about Rummenigge's thoughts on the current state of the game and his thoughts on a new direction.

Batman
09-03-2011, 09:23 PM
Now, I don't know if this is evidence of further FIFA shadyness or not, but let's face it, these days if your Grandmother took a job with them you'd stop trusting her, right ?

So anyway, a company called Bridgepoint (in the business of sporting events rights management) has just purchased another company named InFront. Now, InFront is the current rights-holder to the next World Cup (Brazil 2014). Since Bridgepoint is purchasing 100% of InFront, it means that all the shareholders will be cashed out.

It goes on to say "Management will be given a significant stake in the company going forward that is expected to make them multi-millionaires.. ".

Now, rather than spoil the surprise, I'll simply direct you to the article.

Bridgepoint buys Swiss sports rights company (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/banksandfinance/privateequity/8737752/Bridgepoint-buys-Swiss-sports-rights-company.html)

I think you'll find it interesting.

oh man... this makes me sick.:puke:

jloome
09-04-2011, 01:59 PM
^ That's true, and unfortunately it doesn't just apply to CONCACAF - but to all of FIFA.

I hate to break it to people, but there's a loophole in Canadian electoral law that allows any Canadian politician not currently serving in cabinet or as prime minister to accept any amount of money for a "campaign contribution" and, as long as it is not used for that campaign, he or she is allowed to keep it, without declaring it as income, and without revealing its source.

No, not kidding. Democracy Watch has been trying to get them to close this loophole for years, but effectively what happened in CONCACAF is entirely legal with most Canadian politicians. Hell of a lobbying loophole.

Lots of international organizations are like this and western democracy, as good as it is compared to older models and civilizations, is basically kleptocractic, and in need of major reform.

TFCREDNWHITE
09-05-2011, 01:56 AM
So who owns Bridgepoint? If the Blatters owned infront, then who owns bridgepoint? Any famous heavy hitters?

TOBOR !
09-05-2011, 05:55 PM
Belgian MEP Ivo Belet to open a new front on Fifa's governance (http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2011/sep/05/ivo-belet-mep-fifa-governance)


Belet's speech states that Fifa's lack of moral legitimacy has made it tough for football's political supporters to press the case for greater autonomy of governance under the "specificity of sport" principle – ie giving sport exemptions from rules that apply to normal businesses.

There's a thread on the ECA summit in the International Forum, but it looks rather to all be on a trajectory for a head-on collision, what with the ongoing corruption investigations and the clubs and politicians saying FIFA is damaging the game.

TOBOR !
09-05-2011, 06:14 PM
So who owns Bridgepoint? If the Blatters owned infront, then who owns bridgepoint? Any famous heavy hitters?

Dunno. Bridgepoint Capital (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridgepoint_Capital) was known as NatWest Equity Partners until 2000.

Okay... this article here details the orignal 'sale' (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/natwest-to-sell-off-equity-partners-740907.html) where the portfolios was sold off to it's managers (didn't know you could do that). The Chief Executive leading the buyout is/was David Shaw (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Evans_Shaw), who turns out to be, among other things, married to Glenn Close... (ah, so she's behind all this !).

Anyway, all I can tell is that Bridgepoint is a private equity firm (like it says on the tin), who invests in a lot of companies (http://www.bridgepoint.eu/current-investments).

edit - should point out that Shaw now runs a company named 'Black Point' - also an investment firm. Not sure if there's an affiliation with BridgePoint. Also not sure if it's worth looking into.

TOBOR !
09-06-2011, 07:01 AM
Bin Hammam hits out at FIFA (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/953193/mohamed-bin-hammam:-sepp-blatter-not-qualified-to-fight-corruption?campaign=rss&source=soccernet&cc=5901)

In what seems to be a recycled headline, ESPN gives us more information and yet another name in the game - Petrus Damaseb.



Bin Hammam, from Qatar, wrote in a letter to deputy ethics committee chairman Judge Petrus Damaseb, alleging the Namibian judge had been "a pawn" of Blatter.
The letter, published by Bin Hammam, states: "Were I a European, or were the Caribbean part of Europe, neither Blatter nor Valcke will dare lay a finger on us; were we Europeans, you would have never been given the opportunity to chair this ethics committee panel and slaughter people left and right, as you have done."


... and here's a link to Bin Hamman's letter to Petrus Damaseb. (http://www.mohamedbinhammam.com/en/Blog/blog.php?bIdx=1675)

TOBOR !
09-06-2011, 11:10 AM
One of FIFA's own speaks out (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/07/sports/soccer/07iht-soccer07.html)

In “FIFA, More Political than Football,” a 3,000-word passage in a memoir published by Chung Mong-joon, the former FIFA vice president breaks that inner code of silence.



More serious are Chung’s observations of a trial in a New York court over FIFA’s breaking of a contract with MasterCard in favor of Visa, its credit card rival. “In a ruling full of contempt for FIFA,” writes Chung, “the presiding judge mentioned the word ‘lie’ 13 times in reference to FIFA.”

TOBOR !
09-06-2011, 02:23 PM
I admit and apologise that this thread is tending to weave all over the road a bit, but I am trying to keep everything related to the main theme of 'FIFA is in trouble'. It started with the Chuck Blazer business, but there were problems before that, and more since.

With that in mind, elsewhere herein there's a post of a letter from ChangeFIFA to the FIFA Ethics Committee requesting an investigation into the activities of Chuck Blazer.

Here is FIFA's response. (http://changefifa.posterous.com/fifas-response-to-changefifas-complaint-to-fi)



In view of all of the above, no ethics proceedings have been initiated against Mr. Chuck Blazer

TOBOR !
09-06-2011, 02:25 PM
... and Valcke backs Blazer - But for how much longer? (http://www.transparencyinsport.org/Valcke_backs_Blazer-But_for_how_much_longer/valcke_backs_blazer-page2.html) - Andrew Jennings - Transparency in Sport

The evidence continues to pile up and FIFA continues to do nothing.

TOBOR !
09-06-2011, 02:38 PM
Belgian MEP Ivo Belet to open a new front on Fifa's governance (http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2011/sep/05/ivo-belet-mep-fifa-governance)



There's a thread on the ECA summit in the International Forum, but it looks rather to all be on a trajectory for a head-on collision, what with the ongoing corruption investigations and the clubs and politicians saying FIFA is damaging the game.

So, Ivo said his piece today (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/07/sports/soccer/07iht-FIFA07.html) (you'll have to read down a bit). I also posted this link in the ECA Summit thread over in the Int'l forum.



In his speech, he said European legislators were paying attention to the discontent of professional clubs. The lack of decisive action after the corruption scandals, he said, “has severely damaged football in general, from the top to the grass-roots level.”


I think there'll be some minor changes, and then we'll all hug.

Oldtimer
09-06-2011, 02:48 PM
keep the information coming! There is more to be uncovered, I'm sure!

http://blogs.icta.net/plover/files/2009/09/shoveling-manure-home-plh-s-196x300.jpg

TOBOR !
09-07-2011, 07:38 AM
Shock! Sepp Blatter speaks with forked tongue (http://www.transparencyinsport.org/Sepp_Blatter_speaks_with_forked_tongue/sepp_blatter_speaks_with_forked_tongue(page1).html ) - Andrew Jennings - Transparency in Sport



Sepp Blatter announces publically that he is drafting a ‘road map’ for reform at Fifa. Simultaneously last week, he secretly authorised throwing more Fifa money at Zurich lawyers in a desperate bid to prevent publication of a police report on bribery at Fifa that would bring a shameful end to his presidency.

Earlier this year Transparency in Sport and the BBC revealed the existence of this damning report, locked away in the office of the Zug public prosecutor. It’s the result of eight years of investigations by Magistrate Thomas Hildbrand seeking to discover which Fifa officials trousered an astonishing $100 million in bribes in return for giving World Cup contracts to the now defunct ISL marketing company.

TOBOR !
09-07-2011, 08:50 AM
The Beautiful Bung: Corruption and the World Cup (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/panorama/5076282.stm) - Andrew Jennings - Panorama

This is a transcript of a PANORAMA episode that aired in 2006. More detail and history... must read if you crave the whole story. Includes a conversation between Jennings and an unnamed source inside ISL.

Redcoe15
09-07-2011, 10:13 AM
Gotta love Andrew Jennings and his shit disturbing investigating. He makes the high and powerful (FIFA, IOC) piss their pants in fear. :D

TOBOR !
09-08-2011, 10:25 AM
FIFA sets hearing for Bin Hamman appeal to Life Ban from Football (http://www.worldfootballinsider.com/Story.aspx?id=34640)

Bin Hamman has set his expectations low, and expects to be approaching the Court of Arbitration for Sport after FIFA upholds it's decision.

I tend to think he underestimates Blatter, who no doubt won't want the CAS poking around FIFA affairs. Expect Bin Hamman to be let back into the club under conditions... probably the same for Lisle Austin as well.

TOBOR !
09-08-2011, 11:17 AM
Man, it's never a slow news day where FIFA is concerned...

FIFA terminate multi-million pound TV deal linked to Jack Warner (http://www.tweetdeck.com/twitter/martynziegler/~xz7GB)


The agreement with the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) has been brought to an end after FIFA told the organisation they had not approved the sub-licensing deal with Warner's company JD International (JDI).
Warner, who was at that time also the CFU's president, sold the rights to Jamaica-based cable TV station SportsMax in 2007 for fee reported to be between 18million and 20million US dollars...


... The website said Warner "negotiated the deal on behalf of JDI" and "in his capacity as president of the CFU".


Warner sells self TV rights, and then sells them off again... I wonder if the CFU gave JDI a good deal ?

DichioTFC
09-09-2011, 03:31 AM
I hate to break it to people, but there's a loophole in Canadian electoral law that allows any Canadian politician not currently serving in cabinet or as prime minister to accept any amount of money for a "campaign contribution" and, as long as it is not used for that campaign, he or she is allowed to keep it, without declaring it as income, and without revealing its source.

No, not kidding. Democracy Watch has been trying to get them to close this loophole for years, but effectively what happened in CONCACAF is entirely legal with most Canadian politicians. Hell of a lobbying loophole.

Lots of international organizations are like this and western democracy, as good as it is compared to older models and civilizations, is basically kleptocractic, and in need of major reform.

Very true. I've met a dozen or so MPs and MPPs who ran just for this perk. If you have a representative in your riding who does absolutely nothing, this is why.

DichioTFC
09-09-2011, 03:39 AM
And from reading all the links - thanks to Tobor for posting all of these - I dont know what to think. Will there be change? The bickering seems to be going around but nobody seems to be breaking the gentleman's agreement.

To me, most political institutions (Canadian and American included) are either broken or otherwise have corrupt entities. So for FIFA to be corrupt, I'm not overly concerned. Yeah, I would've preferred a World Cup in the US as opposed to Qatar, but not high on my list of priorities to be honest.

What does concern me is if, and how deep, the relation goes from corrupt executive members to shoddy officiating. For example, since England and the US have taken a leadership role in rooting out Blatter (Swiss) and Warner (Trinidad) corruption, is there a higher propensity of biased Swiss and Trinidad officiating of the England & US matches? If this connection can be made (corrupt executive members force their officials to make biased decisions on the pitch) then the world will take notice and lose their shit.

TOBOR !
09-09-2011, 10:24 AM
There are some great people doing a lot of digging out there... ChangeFIFA provides the link to the original deal between JDI and Sportsmax here : CFU, SportsMax sign multi-million dollar TV deal (http://www.sportsmax.tv/view_feature_details.php?id=1826) - it doesn't exactly come out and say that Teflon Jack owns JDI, but...



Austin 'Jack' Warner (CONCACAF president) in his capacity as president of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) signed on the behalf of the regional body, while Jamaican and IMC chairman Patrick Rousseau signed for the media group. The signing took place in Trinidad and Tobago.


and


Football continues to enjoy significant popularity and growth in the Caribbean. The JDI'S objective is to ensure that we utilise the best technology and platform available to bring the beautiful game to our football-loving television audience across the entire region," said FIFA vice-president Warner, who negotiated the deal on behalf of JDI.


doesn't leave much up to the imagination.

TOBOR !
09-09-2011, 10:38 AM
... oh, and you will laugh when you read this one. There's a bit of incredulity out there in the 'FIFA Corruption Investigation' community over how they have just now discovered Jack Warner's impropriety... here's a document hosted by playthegame.org and written by Andrew Jennings. The entire document is interesting, but for now quickly flip to pages 6 and 7 : 2018 : England in the iron grip of Jack Warner (http://www.playthegame.org/uploads/media/Andrew_Jennings_-_2018_England_in_the_iron_grip.pdf)

TOBOR !
09-09-2011, 10:42 AM
... this passage (from here (http://www.independent.ie/sport/fifa-pulls-out-of-multi-million-world-cup-tv-deal-2871694.html)) makes me think that FIFA is trying to kill three birds with one stone :



FIFA said in a statement to the Press Association: "The CFU was a media rights licensee for FIFA events in selected territories in the Caribbean.
"However, CFU is no longer a media rights licensee of FIFA. FIFA has secured good coverage in the region directly, but has still not finalised any announcement."




Throw Jack Warner even further under the bus (not that he doesn't deserve it)
Recover TV rights in the Caribbean region (to resell ?)
Screw the CFU further

TOBOR !
09-09-2011, 11:46 AM
oh, by the way, there's another front open in the FIFA v Corruption Charges War.

Read about it here : Another fine FIFA headache (http://jessefink.com.au/2011/09/another-fine-fifa-headache/)

This is a tale of how Worawi Makudi, another FIFA executive committee member, resold tickets obtained at no cost, for aprofit. Plus, there's more about how the land chosen to build Thailand's National Football Training Center belongs to him... hmmm...

also...



But it gets murkier. What of the plans of Qatar’s Aspire Academy for Sports Excellence to build a satellite academy in Thailand?

The Thai FA isn’t saying where precisely it will be built and Worawi has denied knowing anything about it even though it’s commonly understood he voted for Qatar to host the 2022 World Cup and bid documents from 2009 said the Middle Eastern emirate was looking to “build a football academy in Thailand”.


There's another story (via a click through in the article above) about how FIFA has failed to investigate corruption allegations in the Sri Lankan game as well. You can access it directly here (http://www.lankanewspapers.com/news/2011/8/70162.html). FIFA has donated over $7M for the development of football in Sri Lanka over the past decade - all of it unaccounted for.

TOBOR !
09-09-2011, 11:52 AM
And before I go, here's a deconstruction of The Review of Allegations of Miscondunct in relation to The FA's 2018 World Cup bid : FIFA Crisis: The FA report deconstructed (http://2ndyellow.com/2011/fifa-crisis-dingemans-fa-report-lord-triesman)

The actual review can be found here : FA report by James Dingemans QC into the Triesman allegations (http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/administration/01/44/40/85/jdqcreview-summary.pdf)

Mind-expanding.

TOBOR !
09-12-2011, 07:38 AM
Tough questions for Sri Lanka’s football godfather (http://jessefink.com.au/2011/09/tough-questions-for-sri-lankas-football-godfather/) - Jesse Fink

The author gives us a little more insight as to the type of person Vernon Manilal Fernando (FIFA exco member / AFC) is :



A federation that has received over $10 million in donations during the past decade can’t find the money to pay for the upkeep of its own HQ?

TOBOR !
09-12-2011, 09:02 AM
SKY SOURCES: Mohamed bin Hammam's appeal against his FIFA life ban will be chaired by Francisco Acosta of Ecuador.

TOBOR !
09-12-2011, 12:04 PM
There's also some talk going on about how much money Australia paid for their failed bid to host the 2022 World Cup. For the most part you can put it down to stupid spending, but there are some shady characters lurking about that ought to be mentioned here :

Reynald Temarii - once head of the Oceania confederaton, asked the Australian bid organisers for "Hyundai vehicles for each of its associations apart from New Zealand and television rights for the broadcast of A-League and Socceroos games in Oceania (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-12/ausaid-asked-to-help-win-fifa-bids/2882050/?site=sydney)". This, by the way, is the same fellow who, along with Amos Adamu of Nigeria, offered to sell his vote when approached by reporters posing as lobbyists for an American consortium (http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/10/18/soccer-world-fifa-idUKSGE69H07920101018).

Peter Hargitay - as Andrew Jennings puts it "Spindoctor to the World (http://transparencyinsport.org/Peter_Hargitay_Spindoctor_to_the_world/spindoctor_to_the_world(page1).html)". Here's what PitchInvason had to say about Australia appointing him (and Fedor Radmann) to help with their bid : Paying Peter Hargitay: The Price Of A World Cup Bid (http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2010/07/01/paying-peter-hargitay-the-price-of-a-world-cup-bid/). And here's a bit more from Andrew Jennings : Peter’s is bigger than mine – or yours (http://www.transparencyinsport.org/Billionaire_Lowy_hires_another_Bagman/Peters_is_bigger_than_mine_or_yours/peters_is_bigger_than_mine_or_yours(page1).html)

I have to believe that if FFA had spoken to Jennings before taking on Hargitay then they never would have.

And unsurprisingly, Mr. Jennings has the word on Fedor Radmann as well :

Billionaire Lowy hires another Bagman (http://www.transparencyinsport.org/Billionaire_Lowy_hires_another_Bagman/billionaire_lowy_hires_another_bagman(page1).html)

^ A good read that. Learn about Radmann's involvement with ISL and his relationship with Horst Dassler. Shady goings on dating back to the days of Joao Havelange - when it all started... but then, we already knew that, didn't we ?

How did FFA get involved with these bad actors and still end up with only one vote ?

TOBOR !
09-12-2011, 03:17 PM
The Government of Sierra Leone is getting in on the game (http://www.awoko.org/2011/09/12/fifa-says-slfa-is-only-accountable-to-them-not-acc/)


The world football governing body, FIFA, has said that the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) is only accountable to FIFA not to the Anti-Corruption Commission of Sierra Leone on any FIFA financial assistance.


FIFA states that while the Anti-Corruption Commission of the Government of Sierra Leone should be able to view receipts and books for donations they have made to the SLFA, they have no business reviewing how the money FIFA has given has been used.... because, say, if they were to get a look at those books and receipts then they might find that the money had gone missing, like, or furnished somebody's lavish lifestyle (Nahim Khadi ?)... just sayin'.

TOBOR !
09-12-2011, 03:21 PM
Maybe this is why the Sierra Leone government is asking questions of the SLFA :

Nahim Khadi gone missing? (http://www.sierraexpressmedia.com/archives/25656)



It is a question the media, or committee members of the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA), or the football Protocol Officer, Sorie Ibrahim Sesay, cannot easily give an answer to.
Allow me say it loud that the missing SLFA boss, Nahim Khadi, has abandoned his office for months without any official or acceptable reason to the football family in Sierra Leone.
His absence is of concern and eyebrows have been raised by football officials in the sub region.


Apparently he's living it up in London these days, avoiding corruption charges at parties.

TOBOR !
09-13-2011, 01:08 PM
... and if this doesn't make you larf :


http://a1.twimg.com/profile_images/1541011818/fifamedia_normal.png (http://twitter.com/#!/fifamedia)@fifamedia (http://twitter.com/#!/fifamedia) FIFA Media


Hello everyone and welcome to the FIFA Media department's twitter account, where we will keep you updated on news about FIFA #fifa (http://twitter.com/#!/search?q=%23fifa)

They promise to tweet only during business hours.

Is this part of the new FIFA, the one with all the clarity that Sepp spoke of ? Or is it just their attempt at controlling the news ?

What do you reckon ? I know what I think.

In other news...

https://twimg0-a.akamaihd.net/profile_images/1388996446/richard_conway_normal.jpg (https://twitter.com/#!/richard_conway)@richard_conway (https://twitter.com/#!/richard_conway) Richard Conway


Understand that FIFA continue to seek clarification from Thai Ex-Co member Worawi Makudi over issues surrounding development funding.

There's no information on this as yet. Let's all just be surprised that FIFA is looking into anything that anybody is doing... unless Makudi just steps down in order to avoid further investigation (pulls a Jack Warner).

edit - actually there's something really funny about that FIFAmedia twitter account. If you go and check out who's tweeted them back, you'll find this :


http://a3.twimg.com/sticky/default_profile_images/default_profile_0_normal.png (http://twitter.com/#!/barl90) @barl90 (http://twitter.com/#!/barl90) ginomassari


@fifamedia (http://twitter.com/#!/fifamedia)@barl90 (http://twitter.com/#!/barl90) i need mediaguide send to me becuse i work for news690 media

TOBOR !
09-13-2011, 02:23 PM
Here's a link to a German article about FIFA's invetigation into Makudi (http://www.dradio.de/dlf/sendungen/sport/1552945/).

I used MicrosoftTranslator on it, but it's still difficult to read. If your German is up to snuff, have a gander. Otherwise I'll post up an English version as it becomes available.

Either way, the idea of FIFA investigating itself doesn't fill me with hope.

nfitz
09-13-2011, 02:31 PM
I find Google Translate does a much better job - http://translate.google.com/

If your using Google Chrome as your web-browser it offers to do it on the fly.

TOBOR !
09-13-2011, 02:52 PM
^ pretty much the same. The words are English, but language rules aren't applied.

Still, the upshot is pretty much what's been covered already. The standard of football in Thailand hasn't improved a lick in a decade and Makudi has amassed all sorts of wealth. I think it goes on to say that if found guilty - by FIFA - he'll be brought before the FIFA Ethics Committee.

Honestly. Why do they even bother ?

nfitz
09-13-2011, 03:50 PM
Well if the Ethics Committee doesn't do their job, they won't get their cut of the $.

TOBOR !
09-13-2011, 07:06 PM
Hey-o ! Tomorrow's news today - 'cause it's coming out of Australia.

Championing the game, not FIFA officials (http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/championing-the-game-not-fifa-officials-20110913-1k7mu.html)- Bonita Mersiades - Sydney Morning Herald.

An opinion piece by the former head of corporate and public affairs at FFA, in charge of the Aus. WC bid.



While I hope a future generation may aspire to host the World Cup in Australia, we should not bid again until FIFA becomes an organisation that is more responsive to the many millions of people who play the game and the billions who are fans, and more befitting of the stewardship of its billion-dollar turnover. We should demand of FIFA the same level of transparency and accountability that we expect of our governments, major institutions and organisations.

The Four Corners piece on ABC can be found here : Own Goal (http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/stories/2011/09/08/3313323.htm)

There's a link there for the transcript if the player won't work for you.

TOBOR !
09-13-2011, 07:16 PM
Meet Damian Collins, he's the current MP for Folkestone and Hythe (UK). He is also a member of the House of Commons Select Committee for Culture, Media, Sport and the Olympics.

He's been busy putting together a FIFA reform agenda (http://www.damiancollins.com/2011/06/fifa-reform-agenda/).



When a global institution of great importance loses its way, it is the duty of those entrusted with its care to chart a course of correction. When the leaders of such an organisation lack the credibility that is required to do so, a valuable function of parliaments and governments is to offer sound and independent intervention and support.


I think we (Canada) ought to get on board with this.

Redcoe15
09-14-2011, 02:51 AM
Either way, the idea of FIFA investigating itself doesn't fill me with hope.
Kinda like the Mafia investigating itself.

TOBOR !
09-14-2011, 07:27 AM
The world needs an independent authority fighting corruption (http://www.playthegame.org/news/detailed/the-world-needs-an-independent-authority-fighting-corruption-5233.html)

Swiss journalist Jean François Tanda looks at the recent problems in FIFA and argues that the main problem is the lack of willingness to investigate corruption inside FIFA.


Jack Warner, former FIFA vice president from Trinidad and Tobago, left FIFA before its Ethics Committee ended the investigation against him for alleged bribery. FIFA stopped its investigation saying it would be a “legal consequence of Swiss association law” given that Warner was no longer part of FIFA. This is what General Secretary Jérôme Valkce explained to the English parliament’s Culture, Media and Sport Committee on July 20, 2011.

Valcke is wrong. Swiss association law does not prohibit FIFA from continuing its investigation of Warner. FIFA, of course, could have finished the investigation and could even have sanctioned Warner if the findings were strong enough under FIFA’s rules.

TOBOR !
09-14-2011, 01:19 PM
Here's a link to a German article about FIFA's invetigation into Makudi (http://www.dradio.de/dlf/sendungen/sport/1552945/).

I used MicrosoftTranslator on it, but it's still difficult to read. If your German is up to snuff, have a gander. Otherwise I'll post up an English version as it becomes available.

Either way, the idea of FIFA investigating itself doesn't fill me with hope.

English version : Fifa executive committee member Worawi Makudi could face investigation for use of development funds (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/international/8762706/Fifa-executive-committee-member-Worawi-Makudi-could-face-investigation-for-use-of-development-funds.html)



Fifa has written to Worawi Makudi, the general secretary of the Thailand FA, asking him to respond to allegations that grants from Fifa’s GOAL project were used to build a training centre on land he owns. It is also alleged that there is a mortgage on the property, potentially a breach of GOAL project regulations.


I guess it's okay to be an everyday criminal, but things start to go wrong for you when you break FIFA laws.

TOBOR !
09-14-2011, 01:31 PM
Walter De Gregorio appointed as new Director of Communications & Public Affairs (http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/organisation/news/newsid=1510569/index.html)

As of 1 October 2011, Walter De Gregorio, 46, will join FIFA as Director of Communications & Public Affairs. Nicolas Maingot, who had been Acting Director, will be his deputy. De Gregorio studied history and political philosophy, and over the last 20 years he has worked as a journalist, a columnist, and in management positions for various national and international newspapers. De Gregorio has dual Swiss-Italian nationality, has two children and lives in the Zurich area.

@martynziegler (http://twitter.com/#!/martynziegler) Martyn Ziegler
Walter De Gregorio, whose PR firm WDG worked for Blatter on election campaign, appointed FIFA communications director.

De Gregorio also a sports journo who did 1st interview with Blatter after 2018/2022 WC vote controversy where he called England 'bad losers'. (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/2011-04-19-730804020_x.htm)

Looks like more another of Sepp's pals gets a cushy job if you ask me. First FIFA gets a Twitter account, and now they've got this guy to manage it... looks like they're getting ready for an onslaught on their image.

TOBOR !
09-15-2011, 07:07 AM
I don't know how much of a story this is. I was a little hesitant to post it, but if you're going to have an Ethics Committee at all then the people involved are going to need to be above reproach, I suppose.

Anyway, with that said, I give you this :

Fink: Turn FIFA spotlight on Murray (http://www.espnstar.com/editorial/news/detail/item673828/Fink:-Turn-FIFA-spotlight-on-Murray/)



He was asked, in his capacity as editorial supervisor of sport at SBS, whether there was a "preferred editorial policy" to support Australia's failed World Cup bid. He said there was not.
"SBS [was a] supporter of the bid, but that never was allowed to interfere with editorial independence or editorial process," he told reporter Quentin McDermott.
"No, we had never declared any kind of editorial policy to support the bid." Yet as Four Corners' sister programme 7.30 proved in July, there was.

TOBOR !
09-15-2011, 07:51 AM
More insight into Walter de Gregorio's responsibilties here :

Tough Job Ahead for FIFA's New Communications Boss (http://www.worldfootballinsider.com/Story.aspx?id=34658)


His first major job will be to manage the FIFA press conference on Oct. 21 that follows the FIFA Ex-Co meeting at which Blatter will reveal his much-anticipated anti-corruption reforms.

As long as FIFA continue to hire from within their circle, skepticism will remain high and they'll continue to be under the microscope.

TOBOR !
09-15-2011, 10:16 AM
Under-fire FIFA Ex-Co Member Makudi Denies Grant Use Allegations (http://www.worldfootballinsider.com/Story.aspx?id=34662)

No-one's surprised, are they ?


"It is long, long ago and so many things have been done after that," Makudi said, apparently referring to developments at the Thai FA in the years since it was awarded two GOAL project grants totalling $860,000 in 2004 and 2007.

TOBOR !
09-15-2011, 11:27 AM
two notes about Bin Hamman from the Twitterverse:

FIFA aren't disclosing the name of the Appeals Committee (http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/organisation/bodies/standingcommittees/committee=1882043.html) Chair hearing the case today, in order to avoid putting undue pressure on them.

As well as (purportedly) the fact that Bin Hammam isn't even going to waste his time showing up.

I don't see how that second bit works in his favour (as regards to his case).

TOBOR !
09-15-2011, 11:31 AM
This just in :

@skydovaston (http://twitter.com/#!/skydovaston)



Bin Hammam loses appeal over life ban to FIFA. Appeal committee confirms ethics decision he tells me.


Now we await official word.

TOBOR !
09-15-2011, 11:36 AM
and here it is :

Appeal Committee confirms Ethics Committee decision on Bin Hammam (http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/organisation/bodies/news/newsid=1511253/index.html)


The appeal made by Mohammed bin Hammam has been rejected and the decision of the FIFA Ethics Committee confirmed. The sanction of being banned from taking part in any kind of football-related activity (administrative, sports or any other) at national and international level for life has therefore been maintained.


With this step out of the way Bin Hammam is now clear to pursue his case in the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Unfortunately for FIFA, this will mean more outsiders digging through their cupboards - something I'd've thought they'd wish to avoid.

TOBOR !
09-16-2011, 07:20 AM
Here's what MBH has to say about things (from his blog (http://www.mohamedbinhammam.com/en/Blog/blog.php?page=1&menuNum=31)) :



A friend of the media asked me how I feel after the decision of the Appeal Committee. I replied, "somehow I feel relieved because for the last three (3) months, I felt helpless and was sure that all the efforts, time and money I am spending was just a waste."

Of course, today’s outcome from the Appeal’s Committee was not unexpected or surprising. To be fair to the Appeal Committee members though, as a consequence of our experiences with the Ethics Committee, we didn’t make serious efforts to prove my innocence this time around.

We even thought to write to FIFA to ‘skip’ the appeals procedure and to have a directly guilty verdict from the Appeal Committee in order for us to go directly to CAS.

Anyhow, I can now see, at last, light at the end of the tunnel and I am heading confidently towards it. My next step is to go to CAS where from now on, I will be equal to my rival.


World Football Insider proposes a potential timeline for the case to be heard by CAS :

Bin Hammam Upbeat Despite Losing FIFA Appeal; Lengthy Legal Battle at CAS (http://www.worldfootballinsider.com/Story.aspx?id=34665)


Assuming FIFA's written decisions arrive in Bin Hammam's hands by the end of September, the very earliest Bin Hammam's case would be heard at CAS is the middle of November.This seems optimistic. With the possibility of extensions being granted at different stages, further delays to Bin Hammam's day of judgement are to be expected and the case could easily roll into 2012.

So expect to go a bit quiet on the MBH front for a while... in the meantime Worawi Makudi's name is coming up on just about everybody's radar, so expect his name to go to the top of the charts for a bit.

TOBOR !
09-16-2011, 01:24 PM
... as I was saying, Sky News has got their hands on documents that clearly indicate Makudi coninues to own the land he swears he handed over to the Thai FA.

Read about it here (http://blogs.news.sky.com/sportslines/Post:af611f82-8a1b-41ab-8257-8691a6264199)

Makudi's name is linked with a couple of other stories mentioned upthread as well. No doubt he'll swing for this one. I doubt anyone will bother coming to his rescue, but I am interested in seeing who he tries to take down with him.

Oldtimer
09-16-2011, 02:53 PM
http://www.unodc.org/images/southeasterneurope//corruption.jpg

It's getting very complicated, but one thing is clear: there is a lot of money floating around.

TOBOR !
09-16-2011, 03:15 PM
I was thinking that I should do up a FIFA Organizational Chart, complete with allegations.

woolly
09-16-2011, 03:39 PM
I was thinking that I should do up a FIFA Organizational Chart, complete with allegations.

FIFA Allegation Bingo!

TOBOR !
09-17-2011, 05:27 PM
More.

The whole article is a good read, but scroll down about half way for the current topic :

Recalibrating the scales of Justice (http://footballisafrica.com/2011/09/recalibrating-the-scales-of-justice/)



FIFA’s disciplinary committee has a legal knot of its own to untie, as the controversy over the August 2010 elections at the Nigerian Football Federation is causing a quiet storm – if there is ever one – in Zurich.
Former Nigeria captain Segun Odegbami, who is challenging the election’s validity, in which he was a contestant for the presidency, has found himself in a cul-de-sac.
After filing a case, in November 2010, challenging the validity of the election, it took FIFA until May this year – six months – before it was heard.


Odegbami still hasn't received his verdict, preventing him from going to the Appeals Committee, and subsequently the CAS (if required).

As the man says at the bottom of the page, Justice delayed is justice denied.

TOBOR !
09-18-2011, 07:42 PM
Makudi hits back :

FIFA's Worawi says he will sue over allegations (http://www.canadianbusiness.com/article/45897--fifa-s-worawi-says-he-will-sue-over-allegations)



"There have been attempts to defame my reputation via website and anonymous letter which have been sent to the German press. My legal advisory team is gathering information and we will take legal action on this," he said.


You know, the more I think about it, FIFA's Ethics Committee could be Blatter's undoing.

The more people they go after for corruption, the more people they piss off and invite to fight back.

Jack Warner stood down, but he seems to know more than he's currently letting on. The rest of these guys don't seem so inclined to go that route. Yes they may be corrupt officials, but they also object to the hypocrisy evident at FIFA - enough so they'll try to take down anyone else if they are targeted.

We may eventually get all the answers we're after.

TOBOR !
09-19-2011, 07:13 AM
Some background to the Worawi Makudi allegations :

How did a World Cup end up in the boondocks? (http://jessefink.com.au/2011/09/how-did-a-world-cup-end-up-in-the-boondocks/)

I reckon he hasn't got a leg to stand on.


...when Thailand was announced as the host of the 2012 FIFA Futsal World Cup it decided to build a $45 million 12,000-capacity indoor stadium on government land in the Samphan Soi 4 area of Nong Chok – the same northern district, or khet, in the boondocks of the sprawling metropolis where the National Football Training Centre stands on land that appears to be owned and controversially developed with FIFA grants by Thailand Football Association boss and FIFA executive member Worawi Makudi.

TOBOR !
09-19-2011, 07:29 AM
FIFA summons Caribbean official Colin Klass to hearing this week in bin Hammam bribery case (http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/dcunited/fifa-summons-caribbean-official-colin-klass-to-hearing-this-week-in-bin-hammam-bribery-case/2011/09/19/gIQA7gOkeK_story.html)



FIFA says its ethics committee will hear Klass’ case on Friday.


Some background here : Fifa suspend Caribbean official Colin Klass over bribery allegations (http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/aug/12/fifa-suspend-colin-klass)

Klass is one of the 16 CFU officials who is under investigation for his involvement in the Bin Hammam bribery scandal.

TOBOR !
09-19-2011, 07:42 AM
Category : Things that make you say "Hmmmm...."

Freeh, Ridge push legalization (http://www.lvrj.com/business/freeh-ridge-tapped-to-bolster-case-for-legalized-online-poker-129911423.html)



An industry-funded coalition introduced former FBI Director Louis Freeh and former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge to bolster the argument that federal regulation of online poker would protect consumers and allow authorities to police sites that sponsor games.


So, the guy who FIFA has hired to investigate corruption within it's ranks is now supporting regulated online gambling.

I'm not sure that there's a conflict here, but I do think that there may not be as much investigating going on as there ought to be. After all, it's not like Chuck Blazer's name has popped up anywhere since this thread was started in his honour (and this doesn't count (http://chuckblazer.blogspot.com/2011/09/it-seemed-quite-impossible-but-here-it.html)).

Oldtimer
09-19-2011, 07:51 AM
Category : Things that make you say "Hmmmm...."

Freeh, Ridge push legalization (http://www.lvrj.com/business/freeh-ridge-tapped-to-bolster-case-for-legalized-online-poker-129911423.html)



So, the guy who FIFA has hired to investigate corruption within it's ranks is now supporting regulated online gambling.

I'm not sure that there's a conflict here, but I do think that there may not be as much investigating going on as there ought to be. After all, it's not like Chuck Blazer's name has popped up anywhere since this thread was started in his honour (and this doesn't count (http://chuckblazer.blogspot.com/2011/09/it-seemed-quite-impossible-but-here-it.html)).

I'm sure that Declan Hill (author of "The Fix") would be very interested in any links between football and gambling.

TOBOR !
09-19-2011, 01:15 PM
Five years on and the Soca Warriors are still waiting to get paid (http://www.worldsoccer.com/features/five-years-on-and-the-soca-warriors-are-still-waiting-to-get-paid)

T&T players still waiting for their split of World Cup revenues 5 years on.

Oh, by the way, it's got something to do with Jack Warner.

TOBOR !
09-19-2011, 01:32 PM
Put this on your must-read list (as tweeted by Andrew Jennings) :

South Africa's World Cup - A Legacy for Whom ? (http://www.transparencyinsport.org/PDF-documents-front-page/South_Africa's_World_Cup.pdf)


‘At last! The true story of the privations, rip-offs and corruption suffered by people of South Africa while their politicians and FIFA continue to lie shamelessly about “success” and “legacy” from the 2010 World Cup.

Research and analysis, not slogans and spindoctoring, from a cracking team of writers make this essential reading for journalists, students and fans.’

— Andrew Jennings, author of FOUL!

TOBOR !
09-20-2011, 10:21 AM
Real head-scratching stuff here :

Hayatou to head IOC Soccer Tournaments, FIFA Goal Bureau committees (http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news-update/20265-hayatou-to-head-ioc-soccer-tournaments-fifa-goal-bureau-committees.html)


A statement released by CAF at its Cairo headquarters said Hayatou, also a FIFA Vice-President, would lead the body tasked with the organisation of football tournament at the Olympic Games.
He would also chair the FIFA Goal Bureau, which approves and supervises the Goal Programme that enables beneficiary member associations to implement projects designed to develop football in their countries, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.


Keep in mind, like, that it's been funds received from the GOAL Programme that have either gone missing or been misspent by many Football Officials... and also keep in mind that Hayatou is defending allegations that he received $1.5M in exchange for his vote for the Qatar 2022 World Cup bid (http://www.southerntimesafrica.com/article.php?title=How_credible_is_Issa_Hayatou%3F&id=5930) (as well as having received £40,000 from ISL before it went defunct).

What are FIFA up to ? It boggles the mind.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Honestly.

TOBOR !
09-20-2011, 10:41 AM
... and just because I know you're wondering :

Revealed: Hayatou’s son is VP of new CAF TV Right owners (http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/09/revealed-hayatou%E2%80%99s-son-is-vp-of-new-caf-tv-right-owners/)



A former employee of the South African Football Association (Safa), whether under duress or not, signed over the organisation’s rights to the CAF despite the fact that it waived Safa’s right to negotiate deals with television stations and generate much-needed funds to run their affairs.
The CAF, in turn, awarded the rights to a French-based marketing company, Sportfive, which does not seem to care whether African supporters are deprived of the opportunity to watch their national teams in action. Its demands are simple — pay up or face a blackout.
There is another twist to the whole sorry saga. The vice-president of Sportfive is Ibrahim Hayatou, the son of Issa Hayatou, the president of the CAF. Even if young Hayatou was employed by Sportfive on merit, the deal smacks of nepotism.


Ka-BOOM !

TOBOR !
09-21-2011, 08:58 AM
oh, and it should be mentioned that Hayatou is still under investigation by the IOC for alleged corruption charges.

FIFA Hand Hayatou London 2012 Olympics Role Amid Ongoing IOC Corruption Probe (http://www.worldfootballinsider.com/Story.aspx?id=34674)


The 65-year-old could be suspended by the IOC Executive Board if its ethics committee finds him guilty of bribery. The IOC board's next meeting is in December in Lausanne.

Okay, so FIFA gives the job of organizing Olympic tournaments to a man who may end up being suspended by the IOC from any Olympic related activity as early as December ?

Clearly another example of people not paying attention at FIFA.

TOBOR !
09-21-2011, 02:07 PM
Stupid FIFA :

FIFA clarification (http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/organisation/bodies/news/newsid=1514031/index.html)



Due to a technical error, appointments for FIFA Standing Committees have appeared on the FIFA website. The appointments for the chairman and deputy chairman of the FIFA standing committees will be communicated in due course.
Therefore, Issa Hayatou has not been appointed as chairman of the Organising Committee for the Olympic Football Tournaments.


Seems like they've caught wind that Hayatou isn't probably the best choice for the position... hardly a technical error, seeing as this was first posted on the CAF website and many media types received an official notification via email.

#jokes

TOBOR !
09-23-2011, 01:53 PM
No big surprise here :

FIFA ban Caribbean official (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/960804/fifa-ban-caribbean-official-colin-klass-for-26-months?cc=5901)



"According to Mr Lunn, Mr Klass stated: 'Why is this door locked, are there people getting bribed around here?' The male (CFU official) then allowed Mr Klass to enter the boardroom, which he exited after a few minutes. Mr Lunn noticed that Mr Klass had a smile on his face and was slightly giggling.''


There you have it. Under no circumstances should you be seen to enjoy yourself upon leaving company with Mohamed Bin Hammam.

One down, fifteen to go.

Link to Washington Post article (http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/dcunited/fifa-bans-caribbean-official-colin-klass-for-2-years-2-months-in-bin-hammam-bribery-scandal/2011/09/23/gIQAvWSpqK_story.html) (same subject).

TOBOR !
09-23-2011, 02:14 PM
The damning dossier: Stacks of US dollars fell out on the table… it was stunning (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1392559/FIFA-cash-bribe-revealed-Bahamas-FA.html)



Lunn said in his affidavit: 'Mr Warner stated he had instructed Mr Bin Hammam to bring the cash equivalent of any gift he had intended to bring for the people attending this meeting.

'Mr Warner then stated the money could be used... for grassroots programmes or any purpose the individuals saw fit.'

I'd say things don't look good for the other 15 CFU officials, or Bin Hammam when he gets in front of the CAS - unless he can prove the inherent culture of 'gift-giving' within the FIFA hierarchy.

TOBOR !
09-26-2011, 08:11 AM
Court proceedings begin to day in the case of Lisle Austin v FIFA... to save you some backtracking, Lisle Austin took over the CONCACAF presidency when Jack Warner fell on his sword, only to be expelled when he tried to have Chuck Blazer removed. FIFA subsequently kicked him out of football for taking his grievance to the public court system.

I'm sure that whatever the decision, FIFA will do their best to ignore it (much like the Sion v UEFA matter in Europe).

TOBOR !
09-26-2011, 01:57 PM
ChangeFIFA's Statement Regarding The FIFA Ethics Committee’s 26-Month Ban Of Mr. Colin Klass (http://changefifa.posterous.com/changefifas-statement-regarding-the-fifa-ethi)

TOBOR !
09-26-2011, 02:06 PM
FIFA, Mohammed Bin Hammam, Sepp Blatter and the Corruption that Muddies the Beautiful Game (http://www.caughtoffside.com/2011/09/26/fifa-mohammed-bin-hammam-sepp-blatter-and-the-corruption-that-muddies-the-beautiful-game/) - The Unbeautiful Game - Blog/editorial



The saga of Mohammed Bin Hammam's expulsion from FIFA rumbles on in the corridors of FIFA house, up on a hill in Nyon. From the outside, they give a plaintive smile and a glance at the nearest security guard when pressed about the turmoil in recent months. Within, those brothers and sisters of the FIFA family know, deep down, that their time riding the golden goose like their own personal Lear jet is coming to a close.

TOBOR !
09-26-2011, 02:15 PM
Brazil police to investigate Ricardo Teixeira (http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?slug=ap-brazil-teixeirainvestigated)



Prosecutor Marcelo Freire confirmed Monday he will ask federal police to look into whether Teixeira illegally transferred money into Brazil after allegedly taking kickbacks from a former FIFA marketing partner in the 1990s.

The BBC accused Teixeira of being one of the FIFA members involved in the corruption scheme, but football's governing body cleared him of any wrongdoing


This ties in with the following : Blatter & Havelange named in Swiss bribes trial (http://www.transparencyinsport.org/swiss_trial.html) (detailed report of the trial by Andrew Jennings), and if you have the appetite for it, read this : Fifa 'misled' detectives on trail of missing £45m paid for World Cup TV rights (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/international/2470897/Fifa-misled-detectives-on-trail-of-missing-45m-paid-for-World-Cup-TV-rights.html)

(keep in mind that this is from 2008)



The latest controversy to rock Fifa is rooted in the collapse of the Swiss-based ISL company, Fifa's marketing agency of two decades, in the spring of 2001. After a seven-year investigation, six directors came to trial in March this year, accused of embezzling £45 million that should have been paid to Fifa. But the case collapsed on the final day when a defence lawyer flourished a secret memo purporting to reveal that Fifa leaders always knew the money was missing.
The memo, written by Fifa's former finance director, Urs Linsi, claimed: 'It was a higher-level decision within Fifa not to put too much pressure on ISL'.

There was only one level higher than Linsi, 'president Blatter'.


I don't know how all this is going to shake down, but it's another front for FIFA to defend... or not.

Perhaps they leave Teixeira to twist in the wind, in which case he may be inclined to take others down with him and share some names of others who benefitted from those ISL kickbacks...

TOBOR !
09-26-2011, 06:29 PM
No shortage of comment and opinion on the general topic these days.

What are the prospects for FIFA reform? (http://blog.transparency.org/2011/09/26/what-are-the-prospects-for-fifa-reform/)(Transparency.org)

By Roger Pielke, Jr. a professor at the University of Colorado. This post is based on a recent paper “How Can FIFA be Held Accountable?” which will be presented at the 2011 Play the Game conference in Cologne in October.



In 1983, upon learning that that the 1986 World Cup was assured to be awarded by FIFA to Mexico even before the process had been completed, Henry Kissinger is reported to have said, “The politics of FIFA, they make me nostalgic for the Middle East.” The decades-long on-again off-again concern about corruption and a lack of transparency in FIFA (http://blog.transparency.org/2011/09/26/tag/fifa/) is on again, and this time, it looks like it will remain a prominent issue that requires some sort of resolution.


... still waiting for any word on the Lisle Austin matter...

TOBOR !
09-30-2011, 09:16 AM
One can only hope...

CBF chief Teixeira in hospital with abdominal pain (http://www.sambafoot.com/en/news/24325_cbf_chief_teixeira_in_hospital_with_abdomina l_pain.html)

Nothing to see here, really. No doubt more of a ploy to avoid speaking with investigators.

TOBOR !
09-30-2011, 02:43 PM
This is an entertaing read : Own goals from Senhor Futebol (http://www.economist.com/node/21530991)


Brazil hopes that the 2014 World Cup will boost its image, but the country’s football federation is shrouded in sleaze

Touches on a questionable deal whereby Teixeira arranged for Nike to sponsor the Brazil national squad, sports marketing firms created just before sporting events to receive monies paid for rights, and shady real estate transactions.

Interestingly, one of the characters involved is the current president of FC Barcelona - Sandro Rosell (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandro_Rosell).


It is widely believed that Ronaldinho signed for Barca instead of the Premier League Champions because of his friendship with Rosell, a former Nike executive in Brazil.

Hmm...

Oldtimer
09-30-2011, 03:03 PM
The sleaze just keeps coming...

TOBOR !
10-03-2011, 07:04 AM
*Deep Breath* - there's a bunch of FIFA shenanigans, or updates to stories contained in this thread, to report on today. I'll give each one it's own post...

TOBOR !
10-03-2011, 07:09 AM
Brazil, FIFA to meet Monday on legal dispute-paper (http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/01/brazil-fifa-dispute-idUSS1E79005520111001)

This is a good one. If you didn't believe that FIFA were scum before, you will now :


FIFA has asked Brazil to suspend several laws while it hosts the World Cup, including one that requires theatrical and sports events to provide half-price tickets to people over 65...


Because that would mean there's less money to stuff into their pockets... but you can draw your own conclusions.

TOBOR !
10-03-2011, 07:16 AM
Bin Hammam appeal fails (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/965399/mohamed-bin-hammam-fails-with-cas-appeal?cc=5901)

Well, one of his appeals anyway. This is the one where he tried to prevent the AFC from electing a new president in his absence. I'm not sure how this will impact his larger appeal (the lifetime ban from all footballing activity by FIFA).



AFC has strictly followed the AFC statutes at all times in relation to Mr Jilong's designation as AFC acting president and nomination to the FIFA executive committee. Hence, AFC welcomes the CAS decision on provisional measures and is confident of its prospects of success at the CAS hearing on the merits of the appeal.

TOBOR !
10-03-2011, 07:22 AM
Go on, you deserve a laugh...



Lobbying to get your country the World Cup sees you jet-setting around the world meeting with different representatives from world football, trying to convince them your country will put on the best World Cup possible. But is it as simple as that?


FIFA 12 reviewed (if FIFA 12 was actually a game about FIFA) (http://www.codehesive.com/index.php/archive/fifa-12-reviewed-if-fifa-12-was-actually-a-game-about-fifa/)

http://www.codehesive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/fifa01.png

TOBOR !
10-03-2011, 07:39 AM
... and on a more serious note...

BAHRAIN: After rounding up activists, doctors, authorities now target soccer stars (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2011/07/bahrain-torture-soccer-stars-shiite-sunni-protests-khalifa-sports-fifa.html)

So, as is all the rage these days in North Africa, people are marching against their government in Bahrain.


According to a report published in the Australian Saturday via the Times of London, several Bahraini soccer players including stars of the country's national team, were tortured while held in detainment after their arrest by security forces for participating in a protest against Bahrain's ruling Al-Khalifa family in March.


Curiously, Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa initially came out in support of peaceful anti-government protests earlier this year, only to later order the arrest and firing of participants identified from surveillance.

You can read more about that here :

Soccer players speak out about their ordeal during Bahrain’s brutal crackdown on protesters (http://nanyang.academia.edu/JamesMDorsey/Papers/888702/Soccer_players_speak_out_about_their_ordeal_during _Bahrains_brutal_crackdown_on_protesters)


Three other national team players were also detained among 150 Bahraini athletes and sports officials who were sacked or arrested for participating in the protests. The arrests were part of a government sweep that targeted medics, government employees and activists, many of who said they were tortured while in detention.

The arrests and sackings were ordered by Bahrain Football Association (BFA) chairman Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, who headed a committee that identified them from photos of the protests. Six Shiite soccer clubs were fined $20,000 each and suspended from the domestic league.


So, what does FIFA go and do amid these revelations and accusations of detainment and torture ?

See if you can guess :

BFA President Appointed as Member of FIFA 2014 Committee (http://www.bna.bh/portal/en/news/474863)

I imagine there'll be an Issa-Hayatou style retraction in the near future...

TOBOR !
10-04-2011, 07:51 AM
Dick Pound checks in from the Play The Game conference :

No reason to trust that FIFA can clean up its own corruption (http://www.playthegame.org/news/detailed/pound-no-reason-to-trust-that-fifa-can-clean-up-its-own-corruption-5251.html)



FIFA has lost all public confidence that it is willing to, or even capable of, handling the problems of corruption that the organisation is currently facing. So blunt was the assessment from long-term IOC member, Richard W. Pound, when he spoke about corruption in sport at today's opening session of the 2011 Play the Game conference in Cologne, Germany.


... and Dick knows something about cleaning up corrupton.

The full text of his speech can be found here :

Dick Pound : responses to Corruption in Sport (http://www.playthegame.org/fileadmin/image/PTG2011/Presentation/Richard_Pound_2011.pdf)

and a Washington Post column about it here :

Longtime IOC member Pound says FIFA not transparent on corruption, lacks will to clean up game (http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/dcunited/longtime-ioc-member-pound-says-fifa-not-transparent-on-corruption-lacks-will-to-clean-up-game/2011/10/03/gIQAtLN4IL_story.html)



“FIFA has fallen far short of a credible demonstration that it recognizes the many problems it faces, that it has the will to solve them, that it is willing to be transparent about what it is doing and what it finds, and that its conduct in the future will be such that the public can be confident in the governance of the sport,” Pound said. “At the moment, I do not believe that such confidence exists or would be justified if it did.”

TOBOR !
10-04-2011, 02:17 PM
Re : Ricardo Teixeira's health. It turns out it was diverticulitis the whole time (http://www.insideworldfootball.biz/worldcup/brazil/9693-teixeira-released-from-hospital-after-stomach-problems).

Am I the only one humming Monty Python tunes ?

TOBOR !
10-04-2011, 02:51 PM
Cash for Vote Update: CAS Hearing on Adamu’s Appeal Begins (http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/cash-for-vote-update-cas-hearing-on-adamu-s-appeal-begins/99797/)



Suspended FIFA Executive Committee member, Dr. Amos Adamu is to know his fate today as the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland opens hearing in his attempt to upturn his three-year ban by FIFA.

You'll remember that Adamu is one of the folks involved in the media sting where he was duped into believing he was speaking to a coupe of US businessmen and offered to sell his World Cup vote for half a million Quid.

TOBOR !
10-05-2011, 07:25 AM
ABFA releases press statement on continuing FIFA investigations (http://www.antiguaobserver.com/?p=65458)



ABFA President Everton “Batow” Gonsalves and General Secretary Gordon “Banks” Derrick, who were present at the meeting, have always indicated to FIFA “that we were never offered and never did we accept US $40,000 cash from the presidential candidate, Bin Hammam, to vote for him in the FIFA presidential elections and our willingness to assist with the investigation upon receipt of notice to do so.”


ABFA = Antigua and Barbuda Football Association
Derrick Gordon = one of the names on the ticket for the upcoming CFU presidential election

This is an interesting claim that could prove useful for Bin Hammam when he has his case against his lifetime ban from football heard by the CAS.

TOBOR !
10-05-2011, 09:57 AM
Bulletin - for readers of this thread no doubt you are familiar with the name Andrew Jennings.

He'll be speaking at the Play the Game 2011 conference on the subject of :

Sepp Blatter's Round Table - Systemic Corruption in the Government of World Football

along with Jens Weinreich at 10:50AM (in Germany- so what's that ? 4AM here ?) on Thursday.

Live streaming of the event and links to video on demand can be found here. (http://www.playthegame.org/news/detailed/follow-play-the-game-2011-live-on-the-web-5246.html)

TOBOR !
10-05-2011, 11:18 AM
Here's a paper prepared for and presented at the 2005 Play the Game conference by
Ezequiel Fernandez Moores :

Don Julio the Godfather the Argentine Behind Blatter (http://www.playthegame.org/upload//Ezequiel_Moores_-_Don_Julio_-_The_Godfather_Behind_Blatter.pdf)

Julio Grondona (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julio_Grondona) is president of the Argentine FA and a senior VP of FIFA.

Corruption ? Nepotism ? It's all here... this was written in 2005, but Grondona hasn't gone anywhere.

In fact he's just popped up to apologise for insults directed at the English FA. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julio_Grondona)

I wonder if he's being sincere ?

TOBOR !
10-06-2011, 02:40 PM
FIFA and Jennings clash over claims that FIFA is like the mafia (http://www.playthegame.org/news/detailed/fifa-and-jennings-clash-over-claims-that-fifa-is-like-the-mafia-5269.html)



In a sensational session at Play the Game, FIFA’s new communications director, Walter De Gregorio, confronted Andrew Jennings during a session on corruption in FIFA and refuted the veteran investigative journalist’s claim that he was banned from the world body for his tough line on questioning corruption claims.

TOBOR !
10-06-2011, 03:20 PM
Shock ! :

Blazer Steps Away From Concacaf (http://blogs.wsj.com/dailyfix/2011/10/06/blazer-steps-away-from-concacaf/)

But he plans on sticking around at FIFA in some other capacity.

It's been a while since any news on Blazer, and this isn't really news.

To me this is a tactic to avoid further investigation. FIFA will say something akin to him no longer being involved at CONCACAF so will be excused from any such related scrutiny... see Jack Warner.

Still, the FBI should still be poking around... and there's that case before the Bahamian courts concerning Lisle Austin's claims.

Maybe this'll start to heat up again.

TOBOR !
10-09-2011, 08:36 AM
This is incredible considering this thread started with investigations into Chuck Blazer by the FBI regarding illegal monies.

There was little if any news on the subject in the days that followed, but reems of material turned up about other characters in the organization.

It seems that Chuck thinks everyone's forgotten about him and now's the time to put on his white hat and save world football.

Read this if you don't believe me (and as tweeted by Chuck himself) :

http://a0.twimg.com/profile_images/133115246/DSC00366_normal.jpg (http://twitter.com/#!/chuckblazer) @chuckblazer (http://twitter.com/#!/chuckblazer) Chuck Blazer


Things need to change!!! http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/15222586.stm (http://t.co/iGst7J9S)


Whistle-blower Chuck Blazer says Fifa must become more representative (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/15222586.stm)



"Blatter should be talking to a broader base," said Blazer.
"The days of tablets of stone being delivered from the mountain should be gone. He isn't Moses.

TOBOR !
10-09-2011, 08:45 AM
Interview with ChangFIFA representative Oliver Fowler (http://www.newsoftheworldonline.eu/sport/100-the-sunday-interview/1036-13-questions-about-changefifa)

TOBOR !
10-11-2011, 08:05 AM
FIFA Ethics Committee begins hearing the remaining 15 cases linked to the Bin Hammam Cash for Votes today (http://espn.go.com/sports/soccer/news/_/id/7087244/fifa-begins-hearing-15-caribbean-bribery-cases).



FIFA said its ethics committee would hear the defendants over three days, and was expected to deliver verdicts on Friday.
The 15 officials from 11 Caribbean countries are accused of accepting $40,000 cash payments in Trinidad during Bin Hammam's later-abandoned challenge to FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

TOBOR !
10-11-2011, 02:34 PM
FIFA Readies for Backlash Over Blatter's Anti-Corruption Reforms (http://www.worldfootballinsider.com/Story.aspx?id=34730)


Walter De Gregorio started as FIFA's new director of communications & public affairs last week. Now Nicolas Maingot, 41, has been appointed deputy director. Pekka Odriozola, 36, is promoted to head of media.

Also in that article : Zhang gets Olympic role; Hayatou heads GOAL Bureau


FIFA has confirmed that Zhang Jilong, acting head of the Asian Football Confederation, will head its organising committee for the London 2012 Olympic football tournaments.

... and curiously enough, even though he in under investigation for bribery by the IOC, Issa Hayatou has been given the position of as head of the GOAL Bureau... where he's in charge of handing out money.

TOBOR !
10-12-2011, 07:16 AM
Police to investigate bribery claims against Fifa's Ricardo Teixeira (http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/oct/12/police-bribery-fifa-ricardo-teixeira?mobile-redirect=false)



The investigation centres on accusations made by the BBC's Panorama that three top Fifa (http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/fifa) executives including Teixeira took bribes from the governing body's collapsed marketing partner International Sports and Leisure (ISL) between 1989 and 1999.


I thought they'd already started this, but apparently they were only considering it initially... maybe that's why there's no word on Chuck Blazer's financial shenanigans, yet.

TOBOR !
10-12-2011, 07:27 AM
Former Fifa vice-president Jack Warner is caught on tape offering 'gifts’ of £25,000 to Caribbean delegates (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/international/8820948/Former-Fifa-vice-president-Jack-Warner-is-caught-on-tape-offering-gifts-of-25000-to-Caribbean-delegates.html)



“I said to him if you bring cash, I don’t want you to give cash to anybody, but when you do you can give it to the CFU and the CFU will give it to its members. Because I don’t want [it] to even remotely appear that anyone has any obligation to vote for you because of what gifts you have given them, and he fully accepted that.”


This is all going to come down to semantics and what's considered accepted practice.

What's considered a 'gift' to an association can be read as an outright bribe, and vice-versa, depending on the mood of the FIFA Ethics committee at the time...

full, unedited version of video footage here. (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/sportvideo/footballvideo/8821558/Full-version-of-Jack-Warners-address-to-Caribbean-Fifa-delegates-exclusive.html)

TOBOR !
10-12-2011, 07:32 AM
Lisle Austin's name has popped up again


US soccer: legal issues keeping FIFA seat open (http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/sports/2011/10/11/us-soccer-legal-issues-keeping-fifa-seat-open/)



Lisle Austin, who became CONCACAF's acting president after Warner quit, was suspended by FIFA for trying to fire Blazer from his CONCACAF job, and Austin sued in the Bahamas. Gulati said Tuesday the lawsuit was preventing the seat from being filled.

TOBOR !
10-12-2011, 07:53 AM
it's going to be a rough week for Jack Warner, but he did say that a Tsunami is coming...

TTFF ordered to pay another $4m (http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/TTFF_ordered_to_pay_another__4m-131571008.html)


The Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) has been ordered to pay more than $4 million as a second interim payment to 13 players who represented this country at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.

The judge further ordered that former FIFA vice-president and TTFF special advisor Jack Warner file an affavadit by October 17, stating why he should not be joined as a third defendant in the matter.

TOBOR !
10-12-2011, 12:51 PM
Jack strikes back :

Warner attacks "conspiracy" (http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/latest/2011/10/12/warner-attacks-conspiracy-115875-23484662/)



Jack Warner has claimed the leak of a video appearing to show him urging officials to accept cash gifts from Mohamed Bin Hammam shows there is a "conspiracy" against Caribbean football.

Meh... all that says to me is that FIFA will release information if it favours them to do so. Otherwise they're a tightlipped bunch who don't reveal any inner workings.

TOBOR !
10-13-2011, 07:08 AM
It's a bit like spinning plates this week - lots of updates on almost all fronts :

Brazilian police to pass Teixeira findings to Rio fraud squad (http://keirradnedge.com/2011/10/13/brazilian-police-to-pass-teixeira-findings-to-the-fraud-squad/)



The Brazilian federal police is expected, within the next 36 hours, to pass on its findings to the fraud squad, known as Delefin (Delegacia de Combate a Crimes Financeiro). The police inquiry was authorised by federal prosecutor Marcelo Freire, alerted to allegations made by the BBC Panorama programme last November.


Well, they've had a good run, eh ? Sepp and his boys ?

TOBOR !
10-13-2011, 07:23 AM
... and Lord Triesman (the fellow in charge of the England WC bid initially, before being replaced by Andy Anson, who went on to comment on the types of demands being placed on him in return for votes) has this to say in an interview with Sky News :

Fifa Boss Blatter 'Should Quit' - Triesman (http://news.sky.com/home/uk-news/article/16088115)



"If you don't change the culture you could change presidents till the cows come home, it would make no difference."

TOBOR !
10-13-2011, 09:49 AM
Teflon Jack and the sticky truth (http://www.espnstar.com/editorial/news/detail/item689377/Fink:-Teflon-Jack-and-the-sticky-truth/)

ESPNSTAR.com columnist Jesse Fink examines the latest revelations surrounding Jack Warner.



Frankly, for about the first time I can remember and putting aside the loony talk of a Frederick Forsyth-like conspiracy of cantons, Warner is right.

TOBOR !
10-14-2011, 08:43 AM
It's Jack Warner week on the FIFA Corruption Thread...

Since 'retiring' from FIFA, Jack has been dabbling in a political career. In fact, he assumed the role of Acting Prime Minister of Trinidad & Tobago two weeks ago.

Well, now the T&T PM is looking at the video that's doing the rounds and has handed it to the Attorney General for consideration.. I'll let you read the rest here :

Sticking point risk for ‘Teflon Jack’ as CFU video goes to Attorney-General (http://keirradnedge.com/2011/10/14/sticking-point-risk-for-teflon-jack-as-cfu-video-goes-to-the-attorney-general/)



One issue concerns whether Warner breached the Foreign Exchange Act and the Customs Act which prohibit the importation of any currency except with the permission of the Central Bank.

TOBOR !
10-17-2011, 08:06 AM
FIFA Ethics Committee released a statement late Friday on the rulings into the remaming 15 CFU bribery allegations. 4 suspensions and 11 scott frees.

Fifa bans more Caribbean officials as corruption fallout continues (http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/oct/14/fifa-bans-caribbean-officials-corruption?CMP=twt_gu)


Franka Pickering from the British Virgin Islands has been banned for 18 months and fined SFr500 (£354). Three others have had half the lengths of their bans suspended for a probationary period. They are: Horace Burrell (Jamaica), banned for six months; Osiris Guzman (Dominican Republic), banned for 30 days; and Ian Hypolite (St Vincent and the Grenadines), also banned for 30 days.

I highlighted Horace 'The Captain' Burrell up there as he was the odds-on favourite to take away the upcoming CFU presidency. This ban will prevent him from running (under normal circumstances, but we are talking about FIFA here), and throws the door wide open to the other hopefuls.

There's a thread about that in the int'l forum here (http://64.13.252.151/forums/showthread.php?t=29733).

TOBOR !
10-17-2011, 08:13 AM
Up steps Worawi Makudi :

Thailand Fifa executive Worawi Makudi agrees to provide further evidence (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/14923698.stm)



Thailand's Fifa executive Worawi Makudi has agreed to provide the governing body with additional documents relating to allegations that he personally benefited from football development grants spent to build facilities on land he owned.


He's probably had enough time to modify the originals or produce forgeries by now...

TOBOR !
10-17-2011, 08:30 AM
The Trinidad Express has put out this great piece on Jack Warner :

Unlimited liability (http://www.trinidadexpress.com/commentaries/Unlimited_liability-131931243.html)

And from the Cayman News Service :

Frederick escapes sanction in FIFA probe (http://www.caymannewsservice.com/sports/2011/10/16/frederick-escapes-sanction-fifa-probe)


David Frederick’s decision to resign from official football duties has saved him from any potential fallout regarding the proceedings opened by FIFA’s ethics committee in August against several Caribbean Football Union (CFU) officials

TOBOR !
10-17-2011, 09:18 AM
Listen : TSN podcast featuring Andrew Jennings discussing the latest controversies surrounding FIFA

http://www2.tsn.ca/window/podcastcentre/#podcastid=4806&id=33

Sat., Oct. 15, 2011 1:43 PM

TOBOR !
10-17-2011, 09:33 AM
A letter from Jack :

Warner: Blatter’s ‘gifts’ will turn stomachs (http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2011/10/17/warner-blatter-s-gifts-will-turn-stomachs)


I will talk about the bitter elections for the FIFA presidency in 1998 when Sepp Blatter faced his most telling rival in Lennart Johansson and the detailed reason for the support, which was offered to him by both Mohammed Bin Hammam and me.

Can't wait until tomorrow. I wonder if Jack is going to write a book, or just do a '60 minutes' type expose ?

Waggy
10-17-2011, 09:44 AM
Curious what he'll say, but he's kinda lacking in credibility

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/17102011/2/warner-says-zionism-blame-downfall.html

TOBOR !
10-17-2011, 10:54 AM
^ I don't disagree, but there are few at FIFA who do have any credibility these days.

Also remember that Bin Hammam has previously played the race/prejudice card, claiming that FIFA is against non-Europeans.

I think this has angle has a way to go yet, and will be harder to prove, but I'm interested in what comes of it.

For the most part I'm sure that people have historically backed Blatter because failure to do so results in alienation at best. Plus, give him your support and you'll get his protection. However, I think we're about to see officials recognize now is the time to distance themselves from Blatter and co. lest they be dragged down with them...

TOBOR !
10-18-2011, 07:06 AM
It's Don Julio's turn for the spotlight...

Avila accuses Grondona of alleged ‘money laundering’ (http://www.buenosairesherald.com/article/81952/avila-accuses-grondona-of-alleged-%E2%80%98money-laundering%E2%80%99)



Businessman Carlos Avila pressed charges against the head of the Argentine Football Association (AFA), Julio Grondona, over an alleged case of “money laundering” and “fraudulent administration.”


.. and there's video evidence (useful if you understand Spanish) :

8tAfy0wtH1g

TOBOR !
10-18-2011, 07:25 AM
Two things to watch for this week : Later today we're expecting to hear further from Jack Warner on details of further corruptuion within FIFA (nice, looking forward to it), as well as on Thursday and Friday we'll likely get word from the FIFA media office on details of what the Twitterverse is referring to as the #BlatterDoctrine... or the new FIFA Reforms aimed at eradicating corruption and providing greater transparency.

I hope Jack's hiding in a bunker somewhere, no doubt Sepp's got his best men out looking for him.

TOBOR !
10-18-2011, 09:07 AM
some more detail on the Julio Grondona matter here :

FIFA VP Julio Grondona to be re-elected AFA leader (http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/fifa-vp-julio-grondona-to-be-reelected-afa-leader-20111019-1lz3e.html)

He's 80 years old and about to be elected to his 9th term in office.

Criminal.

TOBOR !
10-18-2011, 10:32 AM
Pure Madness - what's the old man up to ?

Fifa president Sepp Blatter set for U-turn over Fifa bribes probe (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/15357180.stm)



Fifa president Sepp Blatter is preparing to perform an extraordinary U-turn by calling for the release of court documents which could reveal that senior officials at the world governing body took bribes.


i'm unsure as to what he hopes he can accomplish by doing this. If he's trying to impress the world that he means what he says and will leave no stone unturned to clean up FIFA, this is a good start... However, since he's one of the seniro officials named in the documents I'm not sure how he gets away with it.

In all likelihood he's going to try and clear his name before it gets dragged through the muck by Ricardo Teixeira (currently under investigation by Brazillian police for essentially the same scandal, and a few others). Not sure how he's going to orchestrate that, though.

Perhaps he's hoping to get a look at the docs first ?

Crazy.

TOBOR !
10-18-2011, 01:10 PM
ah, the penny drops.

It's been pointed out that a). FIFA has had copies of these documents all along and could have released them at any time, and b). Blatter has only put it to the Executive Committee to ask for their permission to release the documents, which they'll likely decline.

This is just a smokescreen.

TOBOR !
10-18-2011, 01:22 PM
Amadou Diakite of Mali is up in front of the Court of Arbitrattion for Sport today. He's appealing the ban he received from FIFA for getting caught in a bribery sting by those journalists posing as US lobbyists for 2018/2022 WC bids.

edit - found a story about this : Ex-FIFA official Diakite appeals corruption ban (http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/soccer/story/ExFIFA-official-Diakite-appeals-corruption-ban-28736432)

We're still awaiting word on Amos Adamu's judgment (been over a week since his case was heard). There must be much to ponder.

TOBOR !
10-18-2011, 01:43 PM
Here's Jack Warner's letter to the Trinidad Guardian in it's entirey :

Jack Warner responds to London Telegraph video: Ingratitude worse than witchcraft (http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2011/10/18/jack-warner-responds-london-telegraph-video-ingratitude-worse-witchcraft)

Jack gives insight as to what can be expected when he releases his Tsunami against FIFA (once the CAS has ruled on Bin Hammam's case).

TOBOR !
10-18-2011, 01:58 PM
The bit about im trying to uncover Blatter's salary without success for 8 years seems a bit odd, given that when he was on the FIFA Finance Committee he responded to a similar query from Chung Mong-Joon with :



I am writing to allay ‘the false impression that your perfidious letter is worth the paper on which it has been written.’



Unless the query piqued his interest and this is the precise moment he began his quest.

TOBOR !
10-19-2011, 07:30 AM
file under 'small potatoes' :

Former FIFA VP Temarii ends 1-year football exile


ZURICH: Former FIFA vice president Reynald Temarii of Tahiti end his 12-month suspension on Wednesday still protesting he was the victim of injustice.

At noon Tahiti time (2200 GMT), Temarii can enter the football federation headquarters on his native south Pacific island, having served a ban imposed for breaking FIFA confidentiality rules.

Temarii was cleared of corruption, but ended his six-year presidency of the Oceania Football Confederation after being secretly filmed talking to undercover reporters during lobbing for the hosting rights of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.


I din't link to the article, because that's it in it's entirety.

This is the same scanadal that Amos Adamu and Amadou Diakite are just now having their cases heard by the CAS.

TOBOR !
10-19-2011, 07:39 AM
From Keir Radnedge :

Blazer hits back at Warner ‘fantasy’ as Rio forces Blatter’s hand over ISL (http://keirradnedge.com/2011/10/19/blazer-hits-back-at-warner-fantasy-as-brazilians-force-blatters-hand-over-isl/)



Reacting to Warner’s latest outburst, Blazer said: “[His] references to me [are] an amazing work of fantasy. If Jack has demonstrated anything during this process, it is that he says whatever he wants and then subsequently the facts prove he was lying. ”

TOBOR !
10-19-2011, 07:44 AM
Jamaica Gleaner :

Lift the lid on FIFA probe now (http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20111019/cleisure/cleisure2.html)



The reaction by Captain Burrell to his ban by FIFA is startling to some fans of the game, who feel he should be proclaiming his innocence from every treetop.


People demand answers.

TOBOR !
10-19-2011, 07:54 AM
Not surprising, really...

Grondona wins record ninth term as Argentina FA chief (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/football/top-stories/Grondona-wins-record-ninth-term-as-Argentina-FA-chief/articleshow/10411050.cms)


A small group of protesters gathered outside the AFA's downtown Buenos Aires offices to demonstrate against a man they see as a dictator who has long outstayed his welcome.

A pity there weren't more, not that this would have changed anything.

Reports are Grondona won by a count of 46-0.

NB - Daniel Vila attempted to get a court order to block proceedings. Not sure of the details at the moment, but it looks like Vila had the backing of some 66 clubs, but he and supporters were locked out of the AFA HQ as the vote took place.

I doubt we've heard the last of this.

TOBOR !
10-19-2011, 12:22 PM
Here. Have a go at this :

How FIFA corruption empowers global capital (http://www.iss.co.za/uploads/M169Chap4.pdf) - Andrew Jennings (who else ?)

This is a 25 page entry from a monograph published by the Institute for Security Studies entitled Player and Referee : Conflicting Interests and the 2010 World Cup. You can find the all 237 pages of it here. (http://www.iss.co.za/uploads/Mono169.pdf)

Well worth the read if any of this is your cup of tea.

TOBOR !
10-20-2011, 07:05 AM
Punishments to Caribbean officials don't add up (http://www.insideworldfootball.biz/blogs/74-insidewrite/9781-andrew-warshaw-punishments-to-caribbean-officials-dont-add-up) - Andrew Warshaw - insideworldfootball


And what about those who cooperated with the inquiry and helped turn in the guilty parties? How must they be feeling? I'll tell you. Having spoken privately to some of them, the answer is very let down. Make that devastated. In fact, one person I communicated with said a bunch of them would never have come forward in the first place if they had known that most of the 16 Caribbeans charged would just suffer a minor suspension, a reprimand and/or a miniscule fine.

He's right. After hiring Louis Freeh to investigate and all the rhetoric being spouted lately about sweeping reforms to deal with corruption this is hardly a satisfying response from FIFA.

Let's see what comes out of the Ex-Co meetings today and tomorrow. Don't expect much.

TOBOR !
10-20-2011, 09:51 AM
Those chickens are organised

Statement from Petrus Damaseb (http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/organisation/news/newsid=1529412/index.html)


It is a pity that Warner has chosen to engage in a smear campaign founded on falsehoods and to cast aspersions on my character for doing my job as a volunteer to World football.

volunteer ?

TOBOR !
10-20-2011, 02:32 PM
FIFA Ex-Co highlights from Thursday Oct. 20 :



Sepp Blatter made hardly any mention of his eagerly anticipated reforms on day one of the two-day executive committee meeting here in Zurich.

I am told his only comments came at the end of the opening session when he told the 20 members of the committee (it should be 23 but Jack Warner hasn't been replaced and three - Worawi Makudi, Issa Hayatou and Chuck Blazer - are absent) that he would deal on Friday with reforms and promises made at the Fifa congress back in June.

Apart from that, nothing.

The only insight has come from Sylvia Schenk, the author of Transparency International's report on Fifa, who told Bloomberg news agency that she anticipated progress. She also said the matter of releasing the controversial ISL documents had been discussed with Fifa but it was still not clear whether that would happen.

It is also unclear whether Blatter will put his reforms to the vote on Friday or whether he will just offer a road map of what will happen from this point onwards.

That could be a major anti-climax and watching closely is Uefa president Michel Platini, who held a meeting of European executive committee members this morning to call for solidarity on the need for significant reforms.

It is understood Platini will hold further discussions with his fellow European executives immediately after Blatter's announcement on Friday. If there is a feeling that he hasn't gone far enough then he and Uefa may try and up the pressure.

TOBOR !
10-21-2011, 07:25 AM
FIFA's head of security analysing Thai Title Deeds in connection with Makudi land and development inquiry.

Fifa probes Thai FA president land deal (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/15400710.stm)

TOBOR !
10-21-2011, 08:55 AM
original post edited : complete article now posted

FIFA to reopen ISL case Blatter announces (http://www.insideworldfootball.biz/news/1-latest-news/9794-fifa-to-reopen-isl-case-blatter-announces)


Promising to work for "transparency and independence" Blatter announced a radical politics-style timetable to be implemented between now and June 2013 which, he hoped, would conclude with FIFA finally being cleansed of corruption scandals with its credibility restored.

TOBOR !
10-21-2011, 11:01 AM
(http://twitter.com/#!/JFTanda)http://a2.twimg.com/profile_images/1393828650/image_normal.jpg (http://twitter.com/#!/JFTanda) (http://twitter.com/#!/JFTanda)@JFTanda (http://twitter.com/#!/JFTanda) Jean François Tanda


A friend of Nicolas (http://twitter.com/#!/JFTanda)#Leoz (http://twitter.com/#!/search?q=%23Leoz) who got (http://twitter.com/#!/JFTanda)#ISL (http://twitter.com/#!/search?q=%23ISL) bribes chairs transparency committee?! (http://twitter.com/#!/JFTanda)#fifa (http://twitter.com/#!/search?q=%23fifa) jokes!

(http://twitter.com/#!/JFTanda)

Man, that better not be true...

TOBOR !
10-21-2011, 01:07 PM
‘Too-slow’ CAS under pressure as FIFA ponders idea of football-only court (http://64.13.252.151/forums/‘Too-slow’ CAS under pressure as FIFA ponders idea of football-only court) - Keir Radnedge


Concern is growing within the FIFA that the Court of Arbitration for Sport, as currently set up, cannot work fast enough to meet football’s judicial needs

Well, maybe if they weren't kept so busy (Mo Bin Hammam, Amos Adamu, Amadou Diakite) they'd have more available resources for the Sion issue.

TOBOR !
10-25-2011, 08:32 AM
Sting fails to affect Grondona (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story/_/id/972605/sam-kelly:-sting-fails-to-affect-julio-grondona?cc=5901)



On Tuesday evening, Grondona arrived at the AFA headquarters and was voted in with 46 votes in favour and none against, with three abstentions. No-one was surprised, in spite of what had been broadcast not 24 hours before.



Why? Simply put, Grondona's boast of complete control over the AFA wasn't a false one.

TOBOR !
10-25-2011, 12:08 PM
putting this here as it has some relevance - also in the Sports Forum as a separate thread :

Is Sport Heading Towards an Arab Spring? (http://www.isportconnect.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8842&catid=62&Itemid=171) - Prof Simon Chadwick


one has to speculate whether sport is heading for its own ‘Arab Spring’. Before rejecting such a view, consider that if Twitter and a mobilised community can bring down a government, then those in sport should not be so dismissive. For instance, already in football, groups such as ‘Change FIFA’ have begun to mobilise in order to pose a serious threat to the established world order in football. Alongside this, once supportive domestic football associations are increasingly expressing their abhorrence about FIFA’s seemingly corrupt officials. Even corporate loyalists have started to get lose their nerve, concerned that allegations might affect their sponsorship deals and commercial partnerships with FIFA.

TOBOR !
10-25-2011, 02:19 PM
http://a1.twimg.com/profile_images/977004856/blatter_normal.jpg (http://twitter.com/#!/SeppBlatter) @SeppBlatter (http://twitter.com/#!/SeppBlatter) Joseph S Blatter


On Friday we presented concrete solutions for the Good Governance Committee. ISL file will be made public in December

... he's been all over Twitter today. Commenting on earthquakes and water breaks...

TOBOR !
10-25-2011, 02:52 PM
Warner is untouchable, warns Panday (http://www.insideworldfootball.biz/worldfootball/centralandnorthamerica/9810-warner-is-untouchable-insists-panday)


Former Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Basdeo Panday has said that ex-FIFA vice-president Jack Warner cannot be touched, as an investigation is carried out into the former CONCACAF President's role in the cash-for-votes scandal by the country's Attorney General.

TOBOR !
10-26-2011, 12:43 PM
FYI - I may (someday) ask the mods to change the thread title to something 'FIFA Corruptiony' in case you're looking and can't find it... not so much Chuck Blazer stuff going on these days - and a ton of other stuff.

TOBOR !
10-26-2011, 12:45 PM
Andrew Jennings is in Brazil today to testify before parliament in the Ricardo Teixeira matter.

TOBOR !
10-26-2011, 01:00 PM
Why FIFA's ISL File 'Release' Is Nonsense (http://changefifa.posterous.com/why-fifas-isl-file-release-is-nonsense)




First, who decides what's in the file? FIFA. So the idea that FIFA decides what's put in the file means they get to censor it any way they want.
Second, they are then going to ship off the file for review to whoever they choose. There's absolutely no independence there. Third, by sending select documents they like to a party they like, only one thing is guaranteed: the answer they want.

TOBOR !
10-26-2011, 01:06 PM
Fifa charges 10 more Caribbean officials (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/mobile/football/15459572.stm)

We already knew this, but here are the names :



The 10 officials named by Fifa today were: Raymond Guishard (Anguilla), Damien Hughes (Anguilla), Everton Gonsalves (Antigua and Barbuda), Derrick Gordon (Antigua and Barbuda), Lionel Haven (Bahamas, CFU), Patrick John (Dominica), Philippe White (Dominica), Vincent Cassell (Montserrat), Tandica Hughes (Montserrat), Oliver Camps (Trinidad and Tobago).


Derrick Gordon is notable as he is another name now dropped from the upcoming CFU Presidential ballot. Looks like Tony James will take that in a walk.

TOBOR !
10-26-2011, 01:35 PM
cross-threading here : Chuck Blazer's name in on the potential 2nd New York MLS team (http://64.13.252.151/forums/showthread.php?p=1397044#post1397044) (some scrolling and link clicking required - you're bright - you'll sort it out).

TOBOR !
10-27-2011, 07:26 AM
CFU Extraordinary Congress postponed (http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sports/CFU-Extraordinary-Congress-postponed_10017202)




Bart, who was appointed to act last week following the recent disciplinary measures taken against Jamaica's Captain Horace Burrell, who himself had assumed leadership of the body after the dismissal of long-time president Austin 'Jack' Warner, said the CFU was in grave financial difficulty and postponing the Congress was to avoid complete financial insolvency.



Where'd all the money go that the CFU made from selling broadcasting rights to the 2014 World Cup to JD International ?...


Oh, right...

TOBOR !
10-27-2011, 07:40 AM
FIFA Raises $1.85bn in W.Cup Deals; Infront to Handle Asian Rights (http://worldfootballinsider.com/Story.aspx?id=34762)


FIFA has also appointed international sports marketing company Infront Sports & Media as exclusive sales representative for the distribution of Asian broadcast rights for its 2015-2022 programme.

Infront will handle the marketing of all television, radio, broadband internet and mobile broadcasting rights to the FIFA events in 26 Asian territories covered in the agreement.

The countries include China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand. The territories of Japan, the whole of Korea and Malaysia/Brunei are not included.

FIFA’s director TV Niclas Ericson said: “Infront offered the best package for this important and very complex project both in financial as well as marketing aspects.

"We believe that the team will deliver the best possible results for FIFA and help us achieve our distribution and financial objectives in Asia.”


You guys remember who's nephew is a VP with InFront ?

Oldtimer
10-27-2011, 08:07 AM
cross-threading here : Chuck Blazer's name in on the potential 2nd New York MLS team (http://64.13.252.151/forums/showthread.php?p=1397044#post1397044) (some scrolling and link clicking required - you're bright - you'll sort it out).

good reason for Garber not to touch this team with a 10 foot pole.

TOBOR !
10-27-2011, 02:21 PM
This is bound to have Worawi Makudi squirming :

FIFA Halts Thai Development to Look Into Real Estate Conflict Allegation (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-10-27/fifa-halts-thai-development-to-look-into-real-estate-conflict-allegation.html)


Soccer’s governing body stopped work on a development program in Thailand as it looks into allegations that the head of the country’s soccer federation owns land where FIFA-funded facilities have been built.

FIFA will find only what it wants to find.

TOBOR !
10-27-2011, 02:28 PM
FIFA to hear Lisle Austin's appeal (http://espn.go.com/sports/soccer/news/_/id/7155705/fifa-hear-lisle-austin-appeal-1-year-ban-bribery-scandal)

Well, this doesn't make any sense. The whole reason why they kicked him out was because he took his grievances outside of the FIFA appeal process in the first place.



FIFA ruled that the Barbados official broke its regulations by going to an ordinary court during the fallout from a bribery scandal involving former presidential candidate Mohamed bin Hammam.


It's not mentioned that he's dropped his case anywhere... I must look harder...

TOBOR !
10-27-2011, 02:41 PM
http://a3.twimg.com/profile_images/1277454292/lasana_normal.jpg (http://twitter.com/#!/lasanaliburd) @lasanaliburd (http://twitter.com/#!/lasanaliburd) Lasana Liburd


TTFF president Oliver Camps allegedly resigns. Camps is one of 10 CFU officials charged by Fifa regarding bribery scandal.

TOBOR !
10-28-2011, 12:49 PM
Fifa criticised after TV rights handed to Sepp Blatter's nephew (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/15497214.stm)


Anti-corruption campaigners Transparency International have called on Fifa to be more open about potential conflicts of interest following the governing body's decision to award a TV deal to a company led by a relative of president Sepp Blatter.


I think Transparency International are a bit naive.

TOBOR !
10-31-2011, 07:37 AM
FIFA strikes another deal that stinks (http://jessefink.com.au/2011/10/fifa-strikes-another-deal-that-stinks/)



So what made Infront the winning bid for Asia? Will we ever know? Will FIFA release the tender documents that substantiate Ericson’s claim that it was the “best package”?
It’s a perfect opportunity for FIFA to show just how transparent it is but don’t hold your breath.


Jesse Fink talks about the WC broadcast rights for Asia, recently 'won' by Sepp's nephew's company, and other dealings FIFA has had with Phillipe Blatter over the years.

TOBOR !
10-31-2011, 09:16 AM
Andrew Jennings’ presentation to Senate Committee in Brasilia: “The Truth about FIFA Corruption & Ricardo Teixeira” (http://www.jensweinreich.de/2011/10/31/andrew-jennings-presentation-to-senate-committee-in-brasilia-the-truth-about-fifa-corruption-ricardo-teixeira/)

Jens Weinreich presents Andrew Jennings' deposition (?) from the hearing in Brazil investigating corruption allegations against Ricardo Teixeira.

The content is in English, but much of the related links are in German.

There's lots here - very interesting. Some is review. Some is 'smoking gun' evidence.

BBC Story (linked therein) : Investigative journalist Andrew Jennings tells Brazil that Fifa "stinks" (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/15480890.stm)


Investigative journalist Andrew Jennings has told Brazil's Senate that corrupt Fifa officials should be frozen out of 2014 World Cup preparations.

TOBOR !
10-31-2011, 09:51 AM
breaking news - requested thread title to change to :

FIFA Ex-Co Corruption Allegations and Investigations

... that is all

TOBOR !
10-31-2011, 01:12 PM
that was fast... and now this :

Fifa family: man of the week

Dominica's FA head Patrick John – newly charged in the Fifa bribery inquiry – says the case is a dark "conspiracy".

John's previous conspiracy experience: 1985 – jailed for conspiring with US Ku Klux Klan leaders to depose his successor as Dominica's prime minister. Klan members, who wanted to set up casinos and brothels on the island, were arrested by FBI agents who recovered weapons, dynamite and a Nazi flag. John was pardoned in 1990, became FA head in 1992, was voted out in 2006 accused of "unaccountability", and reinstated in 2008 after "close ally" Jack Warner intervened. He won a new four-year term in June.

That, and some other stuff, can be found here : Said & Done (http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/oct/29/said-and-done-fifa-klan)

TOBOR !
11-01-2011, 07:59 AM
Hey-o !

FIFA makes $300M deal with MATCH for 2018-2022 World Cup hospitality ticket rights (http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/dcunited/fifa-makes-300m-deal-with-match-for-2018-2022-world-cup-hospitality-ticket-rights/2011/11/01/gIQA3IjnbM_story.html?wprss=rss_sports&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter)

worth noting :



MATCH Hospitality is majority owned by Jaime and Enrique Byrom from Mexico, who have sold World Cup tickets since the 1980s.
Shareholders include Swiss marketing agency Infront.


Nice one, Philippe !

TOBOR !
11-01-2011, 08:01 AM
Join me in laughing at Transparency International.

TOBOR !
11-01-2011, 08:17 AM
here we go here we go here we goooo...

Brazil police may ask Barcelona boss to help with latest Teixeira inquiry (http://keirradnedge.com/2011/11/01/police-may-ask-barcelona-boss-to-help-with-new-teixeira-inquiry/)



The third inquiry, according to police sources, could see investigators requesting an interview with Sandro Rosell, president of European and Spanish champions Barcelona, as the Teixeira investigative net is extended ever further among world football’s power brokers.


This tells me that the Brazilian authorities are taking Andrew Jennings' testimony seriously as he has all this documented and no doubt presented everything he had at the hearings...

TOBOR !
11-02-2011, 07:27 AM
Committee says failures of governance at FIFA still need full investigation (http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/culture-media-and-sport-committee/news/world-cup-2018-bid/)

The UK Culture Media and Sport Committee today publishes a short report commenting on responses to its Report on the 2018 World Cup bid.



The committee notes that FIFA has received an apparent retraction of the original allegations related to Qatar's 2022 World Cup bid. While it welcomes the withdrawal of the allegations made by the "whistleblower" in the Sunday Times, the committee is still concerned that no apparent effort was made by FIFA to investigate these allegations when they were put to it, and that other allegations - specifically those made by Lord Triesman in evidence to the committee - remain.

TOBOR !
11-02-2011, 07:33 AM
FIFA is warned scandals could see Emirates fly away from World Cup sponsorship (http://keirradnedge.com/2011/11/02/fifa-warned-scandals-could-see-emirates-walk-away-from-world-cup-sponsorship/)



Sponsors invest in sports events for both company promotion and reputation and the very reputation of the world football authority is at rock-bottom after attempts to rig votes in both World Cup host assignments and its presidential election.


I don't know if $195M is a drop in the bucket to FIFA, but it could be the start of something larger. As far as the old cronies go, though, it should hardly concern them as they've already raped and pillaged their fortunes - this would be a direct hit to the next generation.

TOBOR !
11-02-2011, 11:09 AM
It seems that the paperwork Worawi Makudi provided FIFA re: his Real Estate holdings and the matter of whether or not land was donated to the Thai FA or not has proven to be insufficient.

FIFA wants incontrovertible proof that the land was indeed donated to the FA before construction on the stadium / center of excellence began.

He's been given until Dec. 01 to provide further support for his case, at which time FIFA will hand the matter over to their Ethics Committee.

Fifa steps up Makudi land deals case (http://mg.co.za/article/2011-11-02-fifa-steps-up-makudi-land-deals-case/)


Fifa stepped up its investigation into executive committee member Worawi Makudi on Wednesday, demanding more legal documents to answer allegations that $860 000 of development funds were spent building football projects on land he owns in Thailand.

TOBOR !
11-02-2011, 02:41 PM
African Football Boss Hayatou Faces IOC Sanctions Over Bribery Allegations (http://www.worldfootballinsider.com/Story.aspx?id=34775)


Hayatou, an IOC member from Cameroon, has been the subject of an IOC investigation after the allegations were revealed in a BBC Panorama documentary aired last December just prior to the FIFA vote on the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

Right, so Hayatou is being investigated for corruption allegations related to FIFA activity by the IOC, because he is an IOC member. You'd think FIFA would be doing this first and forremost. But since they're not, you can be guaranteed that whatever the IOC decides will have no bearing on what FIFA does.

No doubt, FIFA doesn't recgnize the IOC's jurisdiction.

TOBOR !
11-03-2011, 07:50 AM
The media keeping the heat turned up on the various FIFA scandals :

Fink: Makudi running out of answers (http://www.espnstar.com/home/news/detail/item700650/)




The football fans of Thailand have had enough of Makudi (that much is clear from Thai internet forums) but because the man rules that country's football scene with an iron fist the same whistleblowers who released the land documents to FIFA had to go to the international media to publicise their grievances.
The change wasn't going to come from inside Thailand, where the mainstream media have been loath to bring pressure on Makudi.
As I see it, the only person tainting Makudi's reputation is Makudi himself. His reputation is his to make and his to ruin.
Now that ASEAN has indicated its desire to bid for the 2030 World Cup, he should resign his FIFA position immediately and restore honour to South-East Asian football. It deserves a far better and, in my view, less tainted representative.

TOBOR !
11-03-2011, 07:57 AM
Blatter to make special public appearance at IFA Zurich (http://www.insideworldfootball.biz/ifa/9859-blatter-to-make-special-public-appearance-at-ifa-zurich)


FIFA President Sepp Blatter will make one of his first appearances since announcing his anti-corruption drive when he takes centre stage at the International Football Arena (IFA) on Monday (November 7).

...The content of his address is being kept under wraps but is a major coup for IFA organisers and is bound to create considerable interest at the invitation-only event that has become one of the most significant draws in the football business calendar.

TOBOR !
11-03-2011, 08:09 AM
The latest on Teflon Jack :

Warner denies being about to quit T&T government, too (http://keirradnedge.com/2011/11/03/warner-denies-reports-that-he-will-quit-tt-government-too/)



Responding to media inquiries yesterday, Warner said: “I don’t read blogs, I do not know anything about that. The people behind the blogs have their own agendas . . . I know there are people within and outside the People’s Partnership [party] that do not like me, but I do not take it on, I have a job to do.”

TOBOR !
11-04-2011, 07:23 AM
FIFA's response to the Emirates Airlines thing :

FIFA Seeks Clarification From Emirates Over Sponsorship Comments (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-03/fifa-seeks-clarification-from-emirates-over-sponsorship-comments.html)


Soccer’s governing body said it’s “surprised” by the comments attributed to an executive at sponsor Emirates that the airline is mulling whether to end a deal with FIFA after the 2014 World Cup.

in typical 'don't they know who we are ?' fashion. Time to open the curtains at FIFA House and take a look outside, Sepp.

http://images.wikia.com/simpsons/images/a/ab/Simpsons_angry_mob.png

TOBOR !
11-04-2011, 09:18 AM
Teixeira interviewed by fraud squad over ISL cash claims (http://keirradnedge.com/2011/11/04/teixeria-interviewed-by-fraud-squad-over-isl-cash-claims/)



Teixeira attended yesterday with the support of a four-man legal team to answer questions about allegations of money-laundering linked to the decade-old scandal involving FIFA (of which he is an executive committee member) and ISL (FIFA’s former marketing agent) and Sanud, a Liechtenstein-based go-between company.
The investigation, which has 90 days in which to decide if there is a case to be pursued, was authorised by the office of the public prosecutor.


The noose tightens...

TOBOR !
11-04-2011, 09:43 AM
“How to make the whole f***-up look better for FIFA”? (http://www.jensweinreich.de/2011/11/04/how-to-make-the-whole-f-up-look-better-for-fifa/)

I wish Weinreich either blogged in English or I spoke German... anyway :

What you're looking it here are court transcripts identifying Jerome Valcke (now FIFA secretarty general) as being a professional liar (from the FIFA / VISA / Mastercard fiasco).

Scroll down below the twitter messages sent to @changefifa and read over the records.



FIFA’s negotiators lied repeatedly to MasterCard, including when they assured MasterCard that, consistently with MasterCard’s first right to acquire, FIFA would not sign a deal for the post-2006 sponsorship rights with anyone else unless it could not reach agreement with MasterCard.



FIFA’s negotiators lied to VISA when they repeatedly responded to the direct question of whether MasterCard had any incumbency rights by assuring VISA that MasterCard did not.



FIFA’s negotiators provided VISA with blow-by-blow descriptions of the status of the FIFA-MasterCard negotiations while concealing from its long-time partner MasterCard both the fact of the FIFA-VISA negotiations as well as the status of those negotiations – an action FIFA’s president admitted would not be “fair play”


That's just a selection - follow the link at top for more.

TOBOR !
11-04-2011, 09:51 AM
FIFA Says Blatter Not Involved in Television Rights Agreement With Nephew (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-04/fifa-says-blatter-not-involved-in-television-rights-agreement-with-nephew.html)


“The decision to go with Infront was made by the finance committee and ratified by the executive committee on the basis that Infront presented the best offer,” FIFA said in an e-mail. “The FIFA president is not a member of the finance committee and was not present when the decision was made.”

Maybe.. but even knowing there was a connection shines a suspicious light on the whole arrangement. They better have documented every step and every decision carefully to come out of this smelling like roses.

TOBOR !
11-04-2011, 09:53 AM
oh, yes, right...


http://a3.twimg.com/profile_images/1187148870/facebook-twibbon_normal.jpg (http://twitter.com/#!/changeFIFA) @changeFIFA (http://twitter.com/#!/changeFIFA) changeFIFA


@tariqpanja (http://twitter.com/#!/tariqpanja) BUT the head of the Finance Committee is Grondona, allegedly caught on tape talking @ something like 'dirty money' weeks ago

now it all makes sense...

edit - to mention that the Vice Chair of the Finance Committee uis Hayatou - also under investigation for *cough* corruption.

It just keeps going 'round and 'round.

Well, the ball is round, after all.

TOBOR !
11-07-2011, 09:30 AM
Put on you rubber boots - this is gonna get deep :

Sepp Blatter: Mistakes were made, some of them horrific, but we are determined to remedy the ills of the past (http://www.insideworldfootball.biz/sepp-blatter-column/9868-sepp-blatter-mistakes-were-made-some-of-them-horrific-but-we-are-determined-to-remedy-the-ills-of-the-past)


I am quite aware of the ongoing criticism voiced by many, a criticism that occasionally degenerates into personal and below the belt attacks. So be it. I guess we have to live with bad style just like we have to live with our own reality, namely the fact that mistakes were made, some of them horrific.


Horrific ? What does he think 'Horrific' means ?

Oldtimer
11-07-2011, 10:20 AM
Put on you rubber boots - this is gonna get deep :

Sepp Blatter: Mistakes were made, some of them horrific, but we are determined to remedy the ills of the past (http://www.insideworldfootball.biz/sepp-blatter-column/9868-sepp-blatter-mistakes-were-made-some-of-them-horrific-but-we-are-determined-to-remedy-the-ills-of-the-past)



Horrific ? What does he think 'Horrific' means ?

So glad that we have Sepp to get to the bottom of things and root out all corruption. :facepalm:

TOBOR !
11-08-2011, 10:43 AM
working backwards (been underground the last couple of days) :

Blatter revives expert panel for FIFA reform drive (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/football/top-stories/Blatter-revives-expert-panel-for-FIFA-reform-drive/articleshow/10648762.cms)


The FIFA president said he would bring back the Strategic Committee, which includes representatives from clubs, leagues, players and referees.



Blatter said the group will work separately from four FIFA task forces which are suggesting changes to a good governance committee. That so-called "solutions committee" of up to 18 members from football, politics and public service will steer reforms of FIFA's ethics, investigative powers and legal structures over the next two years.

TOBOR !
11-08-2011, 01:43 PM
Blatter hints at FIFA departures from the "football family" (http://www.insideworldfootball.biz/ifa/9879-blatter-hints-at-fifa-departures-from-the-qfootball-familyq)

Sepp hints that heads are gonna roll, but stops short of naming names...


Blatter did not mention names but he will know as well as anyone that at least three more members of the FIFA Executive Committee – Issa Hayatou, Worawi Makudi and Ricardo Teixeira – are currently under suspicion for a range of separate alleged misdemeanours.

TOBOR !
11-08-2011, 01:50 PM
FIFA upholds ban for Caribbean leader Lisle Austin (http://www.metronews.ca/toronto/sports/article/1017485--fifa-upholds-ban-for-caribbean-leader-lisle-austin)


Caribbean football leader Lisle Austin has lost his appeal against a one-year suspension from all football duty.


Not unexpected. I'll assume that he takes his case to the CAS now - plus it's also in the Bahamas courts.

I doubt anything will be resolved before his suspension is over, though.

TOBOR !
11-08-2011, 01:56 PM
Noteworthy, but otherwise small potatoes :

Former top FIFA official fights corruption ban (http://www.greenwichtime.com/sports/article/Former-top-FIFA-official-fights-corruption-ban-2256474.php)



Former FIFA executive committee member Ahongalu Fusimalohi gave evidence at sport's highest court on Monday to challenge his two-year ban for corruption during World Cup bidding contests...


The Tongan official was caught in a British newspaper's sting during bidding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups

TOBOR !
11-08-2011, 02:01 PM
Gold : scenes around Brazil

http://www.transparencyinsport.org/Brazil_Fans_Honour_Andrew/Images-Brazil_Fans_Honour_Andrew/1-AJ-flag-and-fans.jpg

http://www.transparencyinsport.org/Brazil_Fans_Honour_Andrew/Images-Brazil_Fans_Honour_Andrew/3-Fora-Teixeira.jpg

"Teixeira Out"

TOBOR !
11-10-2011, 08:36 AM
Just because he stood down from FIFA and they are no longer investigating his indiscretions, doesn't mean no-one else is...

T&T police still probing Warner over US currency (http://www.stabroeknews.com/2011/news/breaking-news/10/14/tt-police-still-probing-warner-over-us-currency/)




“The police have been looking into this matter before, it’s not like only yesterday. I mean we have been conducting enquiries quietly behind the scenes. Just because we haven’t said things publically doesn’t mean it hasn’t been going on,” Lee Assang said.


Take your time...

TOBOR !
11-10-2011, 08:48 AM
Brain Glanville succinctly summarizes the current state of affairs at FIFA :

FIFA still in turmoil (http://www.tssonnet.com/stories/20111117504102600.htm)

TOBOR !
11-10-2011, 08:53 AM
Good to know - FIFA's got your back :

Fifa's Jerome Valcke defends Brazil FA chief Ricardo Teixeira from corruption allegations (http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2889/south-america/2011/11/09/2749604/fifas-jerome-valcke-defends-brazil-fa-chief-ricardo-teixeira)


Questioned over the allegations hovering over the Brazilian, Valcke insisted that he would not abandon Teixeira unless such charges were verified.

TOBOR !
11-10-2011, 09:09 AM
IOC demands FIFA name names over World Cup contracts (http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/ioc-demands-fifa-name-names-over-world-cup-contracts/story-e6frg7mf-1226185541874)



The prosecutor in the Swiss canton of Zug confirmed that the High Court had received a third application, from the IOC, for the disclosure of the criminal files relating to the collapse of International Sports and Leisure (ISL), FIFA's marketing partner.

The first two requests were made by Jean-Francoise Tanda, a Swiss journalist, and the BBC, whose Panorama program alleged that three FIFA executive members had received payments from ISL in the dollars $US100 million ($97.7m) bungs scandal that brought down the media agency in 2001.


Interesting to note who some of the current IOC board members are. Maybe the extra weight of the IOC can uncover the source of the stench.

TOBOR !
11-10-2011, 09:10 AM
http://a0.twimg.com/profile_images/961981590/Ian_Dovastpon_normal.jpg (http://twitter.com/#!/skydovaston) @skydovaston (http://twitter.com/#!/skydovaston) iandovaston


Mohamed bin Hammam has written judgement from failed FIFA appeal. Can now submit appeal against life ban by November 21 to CAS, he tells me.

TOBOR !
11-11-2011, 01:51 PM
Romario vows to investigate FIFA irregularities (http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/soccer/story/Romario-vows-to-investigate-FIFA-irregularities-50419085)




Former star striker Romario is pledging to step up his efforts in Brazil's parliament to shed light on alleged irregularities involving FIFA and Brazilian football federation president Ricardo Teixeira.

Romario, now a congressman, said he is teaming up with other Brazilian legislators to investigate football's governing body ahead of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.


The more the merrier...

TOBOR !
11-16-2011, 07:59 AM
some interesting information on how the finances work at FIFA...

Will Sepp Blatter flee with FIFA’s billions? (http://www.transparencyinsport.org/Will_Sepp_Blatter_flee_with_FIFAs_billions/will_sepp_blatter_flee_with_fifas_billions.html)

who writes the cheques and who audits the books ?

you'll laugh until you cry. It's sad, really.


http://www.transparencyinsport.org/Will_Sepp_Blatter_flee_with_FIFAs_billions/Images-Will_Sepp_Blatter_flee_with_FIFAs_billions/5-Grondona-Blatter.jpg

TOBOR !
11-17-2011, 09:56 AM
Warner forced to wait to find out if to be charged after bribery allegations (http://www.insideworldfootball.biz/worldfootball/centralandnorthamerica/9928-warner-forced-to-wait-to-find-out-if-to-be-charged-after-bribery-allegations)




"Due process" will be followed if the former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner is found guilty of breaching the country's customs laws, Trinidad and Tobago's Attorney General Anand Ramlogan has said as his office continues to investigate a tape that emerged seemingly showing Warner encouraging FIFA delegates to take bribes.


something about pace of life in the Carribbean... seriously, man, quit dragging yer feet, people !

ensco
11-17-2011, 10:01 AM
Tobor the Great - Thanks for assembling this thread. Keep it up - there are too many stories out there if you just rely on searches. Appreciate the editorial help that you are providing.

I wonder if this should go into the international thread, and be stickied.....

Kooper
11-17-2011, 10:19 AM
Sepp Blatter's dereliction of duty over racism is scandalous (http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2011/nov/17/sepp-blatter-dereliction-duty-racism)


Of course this is just another example of the sour grapes British press.

TOBOR !
11-17-2011, 10:47 AM
Tobor the Great - Thanks for assembling this thread. Keep it up - there are too many stories out there if you just rely on searches. Appreciate the editorial help that you are providing.

I wonder if this should go into the international thread, and be stickied.....

NP - there's lots of crazy shit out there and I like to share.

If there's a clamour to have this thread moved I'll step aside, but otherwise I'd prefer to have it here for the increased traffic.

Dunno about having it stickied - it's not as if there's going to be any inactivity anytime soon to endanger this thread to move off the first page :D

Also, I think it falls within the confines of 'other interesting news'.

TOBOR !
11-17-2011, 10:53 AM
Sepp Blatter's dereliction of duty over racism is scandalous (http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2011/nov/17/sepp-blatter-dereliction-duty-racism)


Of course this is just another example of the sour grapes British press.

There's a thread on this here :

http://64.13.252.151/forums/showthread.php?p=1405174#post1405174

Blatter's 'clarification' was almost instantaneous, which is unusual given that FIFA usually moves at Glacial speeds (ask MBH).

TOBOR !
11-18-2011, 10:04 AM
FIFA Ethics Committee takes final decisions on ethics proceedings against CFU officials (http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/organisation/bodies/news/newsid=1544728/index.html?cid=twitter_voiceofthesite)

One banned for 2 years, the rest 60 days or less.

Of note, Derrick Gordon (one time CFU presidential hopeful and may still be) got off with a slap on the wrist.

Kooper
11-18-2011, 10:19 AM
There's a thread on this here :

http://64.13.252.151/forums/showthread.php?p=1405174#post1405174

Blatter's 'clarification' was almost instantaneous, which is unusual given that FIFA usually moves at Glacial speeds (ask MBH).

On Thursday's Football Weekly Extraaaaa* from the Guardian Amy Lawrence had an interesting comment that every time that Sepp puts his foot in his mouth the world (English Press) thinks "This has to be it, they can't possibly let him go any longer." But sure enough he is still in power.

The only way that he is going to go is if the sponsors start to pull out or put pressure on FIFA. That is how the IOC reformed. One thing that could put pressure on everyone would be for black players to pull out of games. Enmass during an international friendly week would be a very loud message that would be hard to ignore.

*If you are not listening to Football Weekly (http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/audio/2011/nov/17/football-weekly-extra-podcast-sepp-blatter)you really should. It is available Mondays and Thursdays from the Guardian and is an amazing review of the game. It is mostly from the english perspective but there is always a good seciton on Italy, Spain and usually Germany. What I really like about it is that the commentors are not a bunch of homers who blindly boast/piss and moan about their team that are soccer fans with a great understanding of the game. Also read the fiver. (http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/series/thefiver)

TOBOR !
11-18-2011, 02:33 PM
^yeah - the Fiver's great.

I can't find the quote, but re: what you said about black players boycotting internationals enmasse - the thought out there now is that it shouldn't be just black players doing this.

If it's about racism then surely everyone should stand united.

Whatever gets done, you can bet it'll be the English FA leading the way.

Kooper
11-18-2011, 02:49 PM
^yeah - the Fiver's great.

I can't find the quote, but re: what you said about black players boycotting internationals enmasse - the thought out there now is that it shouldn't be just black players doing this.

If it's about racism then surely everyone should stand united.

Whatever gets done, you can bet it'll be the English FA leading the way.

I agree that if all the players walked off the pitch it would send a stronger message. They should also lift up their jersey's to show a t-shirt underneath with a message. Either Blatter out or No To Racism or something like that.

Here is the problem. You pick the next friendly date say just before the Euros in a warm up game. You are captain of a team, say John Terry, ok not him, um Rio Ferdinand for argument's sake. You manage to convice your teammates to en mass walk off the field in protest. You are hoping that your club teammates Nani has convinced Portugal, Darren Fletcher has convinced Scotland, the Silva twins have convinced the Brazillians and Park has convinced the South Koreans. Because if they haven't then ond team will walk off the field in front of 80K fans who will be pissed. It won't be about English players taking a stand it will be seen as English players making a scene. Or that is how the media outside of England will see it.

Then you have to worry about what Michel Platini thinks about your little stunt. If he is upset about it because he is good buddies with Blatter then you can bet on sanctions, fines or suspensions in the Euros. If he thinks, hey with Blatter gone I can make a run for the presidency then you are probably going to get away with a slap on the wrist.

As much as it would be better for all the players to walk off logistically it makes sense for just some of the players to walk off. The message will be clear and fans will get a game. Also for the duration of the game the commentators can talk about why Wayne Rooney looks so isolated without the service from Ashley Cole and Ashley Young or support from Danny Welbeck.

Kooper
11-18-2011, 02:54 PM
^yeah - the Fiver's great.


I also loved in the Fiver today how one reader suggested Blattered as a verb.

The Fiver (http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/nov/18/the-fiver-sepp-blatter-city)
"Its meaning being somewhere like: deliberately ignoring or obfuscating the truth, usually with self-serving, self-mythologising motives. For instance, George Osborne could be quoted as saying 'our economy is improving by the day,' he Blattered" "

I have been trying to get them to call him "FIFA's (snip Fiver Lawyers) Sepp Blatter". The snip could be "corrupt" or really what ever you can think of. I guess they don't like lawsuits.

TOBOR !
11-18-2011, 03:16 PM
as long as it's led by Blatter, FIFA has failing credibility. The sooner he is out, the greater the chance of reducing the damage he can do.

Agreed when you say the wrong people are punished by a mass walk-off. But how do you make a statement ?

TOBOR !
11-21-2011, 09:31 AM
Secret KPMG letters reveal FIFA rackets (http://www.transparencyinsport.org/Secret_KPMG_letters_reveal_FIFA_rackets/secret_kpmg_letters_reveal_fifa_rackets.html)


This weekend Blatter granted interviews to reporters too polite to ask the FIFA president about the documentary evidence proving his corruption. One was a reporter from a local paper in the Canton of Aargau. In that interview Herr Blatter reveals his exclusive relationship with God and claims he is guiding him through his corruption battles.

... and other FIFA nonsense, the more he digs the more he uncovers. Read the aabove and more by Andrew Jennings.

TOBOR !
11-21-2011, 09:39 AM
This'll knock your hat off, but once you've put it back on you'll wonder why you were surprised at all :

No tendering for World Cup tix contract (http://www.transparencyinsport.org/No_tendering_for_World_Cup_tix_contract/no_tender_for_world_cup_tickets.html)



A family-owned company with long-standing links to FIFA president Sepp Blatter and his nephew Philippe Blatter has been awarded 450,000 of the best tickets for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, despite the disastrous performance of their corporate hospitality programme in South Africa last year.

Mexican brothers Jaime and Enrique Byrom, based in Cheadle, Cheshire, have been doing ticketing business with FIFA since 1986. They own 85% of MATCH Hospitality and Philippe Blatter’s Zug-based Infront company has 5%.


You have to read this.

Kooper
11-21-2011, 09:45 AM
This'll knock your hat off, but once hyou've put it back on you'll wonder why you were surprised at all :

No tendering for World Cup tix contract (http://www.transparencyinsport.org/No_tendering_for_World_Cup_tix_contract/no_tender_for_world_cup_tickets.html)



You have to read this.

I don't get how the rest of the FIFA EXCO isn't furious about this. Anyone with half a business brain knows that giving away contracts without tendering is a way to leave a lot of money on the table.

TOBOR !
11-21-2011, 10:27 AM
FIFA Ex-Co is in on it. This is how they've been doing business since 1998.

Oldtimer
11-22-2011, 07:49 AM
So I open a newsletter from BS, and get this:


Fifa Corruption
Bill Archer has become the web's leading critical voice of all things corrupt at FIFA and CONCACAF. If you aren't following his breaking stories, you are missing out.Good ol' Bill can't hold a candle to this thread. Tobor is to be commended for his hard work bringing together in one place all of the corruption that is FIFA. Right here is the web's leading critical voice of all things corrupt at FIFA. :)

TOBOR !
11-22-2011, 10:31 AM
^ I have seen BA's posts Tweeted by @ChangeFIFA, but never read them as they're usually a day or two late and, well, it's Bill Archer.

I like to think of this thread as 'Today's News' about one topic. Let's be informed.

FWIW, the fact that BA is posting anything on the subject can't be a bad thing - the more people doing it, the better. But to call him a leading voice is a bit of a stretch.

TOBOR !
11-22-2011, 10:34 AM
Blatter invites Caribbean leaders for reconciliation talks at FIFA after bribery scandal (http://www.greenfieldreporter.com/view/story/119fb58f43ed4868925c0391eb65cf2d/SOC--FIFA-Caribbean/)

Sepp wants to make peace. Lord knows he doesn't need an entire region plotting against him. Not sure how he plans to assuage everyone, though.

Maybe envelopes stuffed with cash is a good idea ?

TOBOR !
11-22-2011, 10:39 AM
CAS registers Bin Hammam’s appeal against FIFA life ban (http://keirradnedge.com/2011/11/22/cas-registers-bin-hammams-appeal-against-fifa-life-ban/)



A CAS statement read: “The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has registered the appeal filed by Mr Mohammed Bin Hammam (Qatar), former FIFA Executive Committee member, against the FIFA Appeal Committee’s decision to ban him for life from any activity related to football at national and international level.


A verdict is unlikely until early 2012. Pull up a chair.

TOBOR !
11-22-2011, 10:45 AM
Q/A: Damian Collins Of ChangeFIFA On The Bin Hammam Scandal And The Caribbean Officials (http://blogs.wsj.com/corruption-currents/2011/11/21/qa-damian-collins-of-changefifa-on-the-bin-hammam-scandal-and-the-caribbean-officials/)



Wall Street Journal - Samuel Rubenfeld

International soccer’s governing body FIFA has been beset by scandals, which Corruption Currents has covered closely (http://blogs.wsj.com/corruption-currents/tag/fifa/). One of them involved alleged bribing of officials for votes in an election to lead the body. In this Q/A, Damian Collins, the U.K. member of parliament who is a leading advocate for reform at FIFA, discusses the bribe-for-votes scandal and its implications.


I just realised that Damian Collins is now affiliated with ChangeFIFA. Interesting development.

TOBOR !
11-22-2011, 10:51 AM
More from Damian Collins :

MP asks Serious Fraud Office to investigate Fifa corruption claims (http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/nov/21/mp-serious-fraud-office-fifa?newsfeed=true)


Damian Collins, the Conservative MP who is campaigning for Fifa reform, has written to Richard Alderman, the director of the Serious Fraud Office, asking him to investigate claims made to a parliamentary committee by the former England 2018 chairman Lord Triesman in May.

Very useful to have a Member of Parliament on your side, I should think.

TOBOR !
11-22-2011, 10:56 AM
Blatter: FIFA member likely to quit over kickbacks (http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9R5706G0.htm)



Sepp Blatter expects at least one member of FIFA's executive committee to leave his post because of the ISL kickbacks case.


Yes. Because if you resign, FIFA won't pursue charges against you. Guilty or otherwise.

Redcoe15
11-22-2011, 12:29 PM
Check out the latest installment of The Bugle (http://www.thebuglepodcast.com/) - episode 173 to be precise. Near the end, John Oliver and Andy Zaltzman carve up Sepp Blatter in a vicious and humorous manner.

TOBOR !
11-23-2011, 11:00 AM
Russia 2018 World Cup bid to be investigated reveals Fifa president Sepp Blatter (http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/3526/world-cup-2018/2011/11/23/2770814/russia-2018-world-cup-bid-to-be-investigated-reveals-fifa)


The 75-year-old Swiss also concedes that awarding two tournaments at once was a mistake, with Qatar's 2022 bid already under examination over bribery allegations

Double the kickbacks - kind of obvious, innt ?

TOBOR !
11-23-2011, 01:24 PM
FIFA appoints Swiss anti-corruption expert Pieth to lead ‘solutions committee’ driving reforms (http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/dcunited/fifa-appoints-swiss-anti-corruption-expert-pieth-to-lead-solutions-committee-driving-reforms/2011/11/23/gIQAxMCfoN_story.html)



In 2004, Pieth was chosen by the United Nations to serve on an independent inquiry team examining alleged corruption in the Iraqi oil-for-food program.



there must be some kind of mistake :


Transparency International honours Prof Mark Pieth as leading expert against international bribery (http://www.baselgovernance.org/fileadmin/docs/pdfs/Integrity_Award_Press_Release.pdf)




A criminal law and criminology professor at the University of Basel, Mark Pieth receives this award “for his outstanding leadership in fighting corruption on an international scale”. In its citation honouring Mark Pieth, Transparency International further said that he has always stood his ground and never stopped being outspoken about the need to implement the anti-bribery rules that countries have committed to. Congratulating Mark Pieth in a press release, OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría said that this award is a clear signal of support for the international fight against corruption.

TOBOR !
11-23-2011, 01:31 PM
ChangeFIFA is calling for politicians, World Leaders, players and fans to join the fight for FIFA reform.

That's us, folks.

We need to unite to change Fifa (http://www.fifareform.com/)



Football is the world’s game, and FIFA its governing body. Football doesn’t belong to FIFA, it belongs to everyone who loves the game. So when such a global institution of great importance loses its way, it is the duty of those entrusted with its care to chart a course of correction. When the leaders of such an organisation lack the credibility that is required to do so, a valuable function of parliaments and governments is to offer sound and independent intervention and support.


will you stand up and be counted ?

TOBOR !
11-23-2011, 02:18 PM
And Jack plays on (http://www.trinidadexpress.com/commentaries/And_Jack_plays_on-134300313.html)Clarence Rambharat, Trinidad Express



In politics, perception is often more important than reality. Google the phrase "Jack Warner bribery" and in 0.11 seconds you get 1.6 million results. Worse than that: Google "Warner bribery" and when you get to the second "b", Google intuitively redirects you to "Jack Warner bribery". No Prime Minister who is serious about restoring the rule of law and good governance will ignore the impact of this. Yet, the country is stuck with Warner, as the PM skips first principles of good governance.


This is a great piece questioning why Jack Warner is still hanging around Trinidadian politics and why the Attorney General is taking so long to come back with a verdict on the infamous CFU video.

TOBOR !
11-23-2011, 02:35 PM
almost forgot to mention... Andrew Jennings was on PrimeTime Sports last night.

Listen here (http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fan590primetimesports/~3/LDcxmeBTmoo/PTS-2011-11-22-5-pm.mp3)

The discussion centered mainly around Sepp Blatter's remarks on racism and the affect it may have on the major sponsors.

Sadly, Damian Cox was in studio so Bob had to do most of the work and didn't really have much background on the topic... nor any other FIFA related matter currently garnering headlines.

I really wish Brunt had been there.. or even Jeff Blair. Damian Cox is an absolute dunce.

if that link doesn't work for you, try this : http://www.fan590.com/onair/primetimesports/

and scroll down 'til you find the link.

TOBOR !
11-25-2011, 10:00 AM
FIFA to Spend Recovered Bin Hammam Payoff Case Cash on Soccer Development (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-25/fifa-to-spend-recovered-bin-hammam-payoff-case-cash-on-soccer-development.html)



“The money will be used for football development programs,” FIFA said in an e-mail. “The ethics committee is currently examining all the existing possibilities.”


I've got it. Give the money to each of the CFU national association leaders when they come visit. Say, $40K each... in a plain, brown envelope.

Instruct them to do with the money as they would like for their own associations.

TOBOR !
11-25-2011, 04:09 PM
Republic of Congo boss suspended (http://www.supersport.com/football/africa/news/111125/Republic_of_Congo_boss_suspended)



"Jean-Michel Mbono is suspended from his job after taking 15 million FCFA (almost 23 000 euros) given (by Congo President Denis Sassou Mguesso) to cover the medical expenses of former Congo international Francois Mpele, and a further 50 million FCFA (76 000), a grant from Fifa."


Fresh Meat. Being a ranking football official, he probably felt entitled.

TOBOR !
11-28-2011, 09:18 AM
@DamianCollins (https://twitter.com/#!/DamianCollins) DamianCollins
Blatter poster up on the streets of Berlin from local team FC Union http://bit.ly/vb0SIW (http://t.co/VVPsYOgj) 'We sell our soul but not to everyone' @changeFIFA (https://twitter.com/#!/changeFIFA)


http://bit.ly/vb0SIW

TOBOR !
11-28-2011, 09:33 AM
Brazil’s Teixeira targeting to succeed FIFA’s Blatter in 2015, claims local media (http://en.mercopress.com/2011/11/27/brazil-s-teixeira-targeting-to-succeed-fifa-s-blatter-in-2015-claims-local-media)

The Brazilian media is full of speculation that the current president of the country’s Football Federation, (CBF) Ricardo Teixeira has started to play his cards with the ultimate goal of becoming FIFA chief in 2015,




The naming of Andres Sanchez, president of the Sao Paulo premier league Corinthians soccer team as number two at CBF is seen as the first steps from Teixeira in his attempt to succeed Sepp Blatter (75) when his term is up in 2015 and retires.


Either Ricardo has a poor grip of reality, thinking he has a chance at the FIFA presidency despite ongoing investigations into his participation in the ISL scandal, or he fancies that this may be a way to stop those investigations... who knows what goes through these guys' minds ?