Mass arrests at FIFA

[Middle-aged Europe]

UEFA is not boycotting the upcoming FIFA congress, but is planning to support Prince Ali bin Hussein's bid to become president.

UEFA president Michel Platini says that he urged Blatter to resign which Blatter refused. Therefore he endorses Ali bin Hussein. Platini also indicated that there are some within UEFA who wish to secede from FIFA if Blatter is re-elected.

[ingemann]

Russia getting it was somewhat sketchy.

Qatar getting is 100% absolutely ridiculous, and made it clear that FIFA is a complete joke organization.

Russia as a host could be defended, like you said it's not ridiculous as Qatar.

But the death of over 1200 workers in Qatar, have ensured that people don't just look at this and say "it's just sport". Making Qatar the host have had very ugly real world consequences.



http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2015/05/27/a-body-count-in-qatar-illustrates-the-consequences-of-fifa-corruption/

[Clyde1998]

UEFA is not boycotting the upcoming FIFA congress, but is planning to support Prince Ali bin Hussein's bid to become president.

UEFA president Michel Platini says that he urged Blatter to resign which Blatter refused. Therefore he endorses Ali bin Hussein. Platini also indicated that there are some within UEFA who wish to secede from FIFA if Blatter is re-elected.

Fantastic news - they should call the new federation PES.

[Bacon King]

Blatter will come out of this unscathed. He'll disassociate with everyone involved and pretend he barely knew them and it was his leadership really that was behind rooting out corruption.

I hope I'm wrong.

I'm not.

The charges pursued by the FBI here essentially mean a successful indictment of Blatter will be inevitable. The arrested officials are being charged with violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), which is basically the strongest weapon in a federal prosecutor's arsenal, with a conviction rate of 93%.

RICO charges have successfully taken down mafia godfathers who were way more insulated than Blatter has ever been. The arrested executives are probably already working with the FBI to take down Blatter (in return for not spending the rest of their lives in prison).

[they don't love you like i love you]

Not that the people getting busted are exactly sympathetic, but how does this fall under US jurisdiction? Though it sounds as if Switzerland did its own investigation and arrests, but most of this appears to be at the request of the FBI and will involve extradition.

[Bacon King]

Not that the people getting busted are exactly sympathetic, but how does this fall under US jurisdiction? Though it sounds as if Switzerland did its own investigation and arrests, but most of this appears to be at the request of the FBI and will involve extradition.

Basically they used US banks

[Del Tachi]

Not that the people getting busted are exactly sympathetic, but how does this fall under US jurisdiction? Though it sounds as if Switzerland did its own investigation and arrests, but most of this appears to be at the request of the FBI and will involve extradition.

Basically they used US banks

Or American ISPs. 

[Paleobrazilian]

The last transparent country to host the FIFA World Cup was Germany in 2006.

After that, maybe only in 2026

The choice of Germany was probably pretty corrupt as well. I think the last somewhat clean choice was USA 1994, and only because the other candidates were a joke.

[Paleobrazilian]

The HP who is the President of Brazil's FA has apparently fled Switzerland.

[Bacon King]

Reportedly, Jack Warner has already flipped (after only one night in jail!) and is now revealing everything he knows about Blatter to the FBI

[Simfan34]

Reportedly, Jack Warner has already flipped (after only one night in jail!) and is now revealing everything he knows about Blatter to the FBI

Source please! (I like how the lack of periods adds an air of immediacy)

[AggregateDemand]

Reportedly, Jack Warner has already flipped (after only one night in jail!) and is now revealing everything he knows about Blatter to the FBI

I hope they jail his son, too. I bet the board of Wanda Capital is playing Russian roulette right now. They just ponied up a billion dollars in Feb to purchase InFront, Phillipe Blatter's promotional company. All of those connections and "industry experience" are about to be behind bars or rendered useless, if his dad goes.

[Simfan34]

Wanda? The Chinese real estate company?

[Middle-aged Europe]

So... UEFA, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are supporting Ali bin Hussein now.

Blatter is backed by the AFC (minus Australia) and CAF.

It may be not enough to actually topple Blatter, but it's possible that he's only re-elected on the second ballot.

[AggregateDemand]

Wanda? The Chinese real estate company?

Yep. Dalian Wanda Group.

[Lief 🗽]

VOTING LIVE HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZX-gu9pdKyg&feature=player_embedded

[Silent Hunter]

The charges pursued by the FBI here essentially mean a successful indictment of Blatter will be inevitable. The arrested officials are being charged with violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), which is basically the strongest weapon in a federal prosecutor's arsenal, with a conviction rate of 93%.

RICO charges have successfully taken down mafia godfathers who were way more insulated than Blatter has ever been. The arrested executives are probably already working with the FBI to take down Blatter (in return for not spending the rest of their lives in prison).

I was going to look up what RICO stood for, but you've saved me the effort; much obliged.

[Clyde1998]

VOTING LIVE HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZX-gu9pdKyg&feature=player_embedded

What's with the lift (elevator) music?

[Clyde1998]

Scotland have just voted - so we've got about 45 countries to go.

[Nhoj]

The announcer might as well just be doing it in french.

[Clyde1998]

I think everyone has voted now.

[Clyde1998]

So... UEFA, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are supporting Ali bin Hussein now.

Blatter is backed by the AFC (minus Australia) and CAF.

It may be not enough to actually topple Blatter, but it's possible that he's only re-elected on the second ballot.

AFC+CAF = 100 votes (48%).

Hopefully, most of the rest of the world votes against Blatter.

[Clyde1998]

SECOND ROUND REQUIRED!

206 (out of 209) Valid votes
Blatter - 133
Hussein - 73

[Clyde1998]

Hussein withdraws.

Bring on the UEFA boycott.

[Antonio the Sixth]

lolfifa