Can someone explain to me this FIFA thingy?

So, I’ve been following the news on this FIFA scandal or whatever, and I saw the latest (CNN link, it plays a video so be warned), where Putin is telling the US to back off of ‘illegally persecuting people’ and was wondering if some 'dopers can explain what the fuss is about and what folks in Europe (I assume this is important in Europe anyway) think of these accusations. What’s this about, and are we (the US) prosecuting folks illegally because we hate soccer or whatever, or is there fire with the smoke? And why is Putin involving himself and Russia in this?

The 2018 World Cup is scheduled to be in Russia. That’s why.

The allegation is that there was massive corruption in FIFA’s assignment of the 2018 World Cup to Russia, and the 2022 Cup to Qatar.

If evidence of that comes out in the prosecutions, there may be calls for those two Cups to be re-assigned.

More generally, Putin has expressed before that the US has excessive “long-arm” criminal statutes. His comments on these prosecutions are consistent with his earlier comments.

However, the allegations in the indictments appear to be that there was bribery and corruption in the North American soccer federation, a sub-unit of FIFA, which is head-quartered in Florida. If so, that gives a strong basis for a claim of US territorial jurisdiction.

Coincidentally I heard a radio program, or perhaps a podcast, just months ago that talked about all the alleged corruption in FIFA. I’ll see if I can find it. I think it was on the CBC. It certainly opened my eyes. And again, this was months ago.

Also, John Oliver did a great bit on FIFA corruption recently. (Plus a follow up.)

Putin doesn’t want anyone interfering with the 2018 World Cup (or his land grabs in Europe, but that’s a different story).

AFAIK, “allegedly” millionaire FIFA officials broke laws in the U.S… The Swiss also have some legal issues with FIFA officials. Criminal charges will be brought in both countries.

Some of those involved have already admitted their guilt, and have been found guilty. Some of those involved have worn recording devices to meetings with other FIFA officials. Some FIFA officials may have used the U.S. postal service to commit fraud or request bribes. Some sportswear companies, as well as other advertisers, have admitted to bribing FIFA officials in order to do business in the U.S… Some countries may have paid bribes to guarantee that their country win the World Cup city/host selection.

It seems to me that unless other countries also file charges against FIFA, in their own countries, FIFA will simply stop making plans in the U.S., and FIFA will go back to their usual SOP.

Actually, I’m pretty sure it was John Oliver now. Basically the same message as the first link, but I thought it was more current. It’s my car pool buddy who provides the podcasts though, so I’m not sure now.

This is a BIG news story that will run and run.

Reaction to it has been very supportive of the action by the FBI because it has long been known that FIFA is completely corrupt, but no-one seemed to be able to do anything about it. The UEFA, the European football association have been at odds with FIFA for a long time.

Awarding the 2022 World Cup to Quatar, a wealthy Gulf Oil state, a country not known for its footballing tradition for a tournament to be held during the baking heat of the summer seemed absurd. It has gotten worse, with a growing scandal around the stories of bad treatment and low pay of the workers recruited from the poorest countries to work on building the stadiums. Millionaire players performing for the indulgence of Oil moguls in stadiums built on the backs of the poor.

For the custodians of the ‘beautiful game’ to make such a decision made many people suspect that upholding image and reputation of the game was not foremost in the minds of the FIFA executives.

Putin obviously thinks the US is trying to sabotage his World Cup as well. If there have been no dodgy dealings, then he surely has little to worry about. His suggestion is that the US is extending its laws to other countries, extraterritoriality. But, I think the FBI have done their homework on this case and are on sure ground. They obviously waited very patiently to strike in a joint operation with the Swiss authorities. The evidence will need to be solid, these guys can afford the best lawyers.

The World Cup is the biggest, wealthiest sports tournament in the world. The advertising revenues and TV rights are immense. It has been controlled by a cabal of corrupt ‘executives’ for many years.

This has rather less to with the game itself than it is to do with plain old bribery and corruption. FIFA seem to be a more of a money laundering operation that a sports body. At the heart of it is money. Control over major sports like live football are a license to print money. A billion people will watch the World cup and broadcasters, sponsors and advertisers pour money into the game.

Some commentators are saying FIFA should be abolished and replaced with a new organisation with proper oversight. But a big question being asked is: why could not any other government, or the sport itself, take this action? Why was it left up to the US and the FBI?

This drama has some way to go. I expect the major sponsors might break ranks very soon.

And South Africa. And Brazil.

As well, it looks like the indictments include allegations of deal-making within the US (not necessarily related to CONCACAF) and that US banks were part of the bribery and money-laundering. There is plenty of precedent for both of these being cause for USDOJ involvement.

INvestigation is widening as other countries take action:

Blatter defies calls to quit as FIFA scandal widens

I’ll bet Putin is sweating getting back the bribes he paid to get the 2018 games.

From Northern Piper’s link:

Is Sepp Blatter so bad that a middle eastern prince would be less greedy?

Another reason the U.S. has skin in the prosecutorial game, besides all the others mentioned, is that the U.S. was a contender to host one of those World Cups.

Besides Qatar getting up to 122 degrees in summer, which required the World Cup to be moved to the fall, which screws up soccer schedules throughout the world, there’s also the little matter of there having been 1200 deaths so far among the migrant workers who are there in slavery type conditions. It’s estimated that there will be 4000 deaths by the time of the World Cup. :smack:

Forgot the link for worker deaths in Qatar.

I suspect football’s lack of popularity here gives the FBI an advantage. Without a country full of worshipful, though bivalent, fans (see Oliver’s own mixed feelings toward the World Cup) the emotion is removed. Plus we get to tweak Putin’s nose.

I’d enjoy soccer more if their goalies wore masks, like they do in hockey.

Honestly, I’d take Ken Lay and Jeffrey Skilling over that piece of shit. I’d take Galactus.

Fuck, I’d take Boss Tweed, Jim Trafficant, and Huey Long, all wrapped in a Randy Cunningham tortilla and dusted with just a soupçon of Carl Lewis if it meant putting Blatter out to fucking pasture.

As you say, it’s still early days, and I think we’ll eventually see that law enforcement agencies in a number of countries have been working on parts of this for some time.

With a conspiracy such as this is alleged to be, with a worldwide scope involving multiple multi-national companies, it’s very likely that agencies in several countries have some evidence of wrong-doing, but not quite enough within their own jurisdiction to enable them to take meaningful legal action, or perhaps even justify funding a large enough investigation to uncover more.

The FBI is a large, well-funded agency with a very large geographical jurisdiction; it wouldn’t really be a surprise if they are the simply the first to be able to pull together enough strands for a major prosecution. Presumably the FBI has also been coordinating with agencies in a number of other countries, and may have asked them to delay any actions of their own they had planned, to avoid queering the pitch.

Folks in Europe (except Russia) know the accusations that Blatter is more corrupt than Nero is true, and would rather have him replaced which just about anyone. Including Nero. It’s folks in Africa/Asia which have his back. Mainly because he has been buying them off wholesale for a very long time.

Qatar can pull a lot of strings in Europe and the Far East, it supplies a lot of Liquified Natural Gas and is a big investor.

It would not be politick to spoil their World Cup party.