FIFA arrests- bribery allegations (ed Blatter to resign)

Six football officials have been arrested at a hotel in Zurich, Switzerland, over corruption charges at governing body Fifa, officials say.
The suspects, who are said to include a Fifa vice-president, have been detained pending extradition to the US.
The charges include money laundering, racketeering and wire fraud.
Fifa members are gathering in Zurich for their annual meeting on Friday, where incumbent President Sepp Blatter is seeking a fifth term.
However, Mr Blatter is not understood to be one of those arrested.
'Seeking clarification'
The New York Times says plain-clothed police officers took the room keys from the reception of Baur au Lac hotel, where the officials were staying, and headed to their rooms. It said the operation was carried out peacefully.
Fifa Vice-President Jeffrey Webb has been named as one of the officials arrested, says the BBC's Richard Conway, who is at the Zurich hotel. Mr Webb is head of the confederation for North and Central America and the Caribbean.
New York Times reporter Michael Schmidt said he also saw Fifa official Eduardo Li of Costa Rica being led by the authorities from his room out of the building.
A Fifa spokesman said the organisation was seeking to clarify the situation.
The Swiss Federal Office of Justice (FOJ) said in a statement on Wednesday that US authorities suspected the officials of receiving $100m worth of bribes since the early 1990s. The crimes were agreed to and prepared in the US via US bank accounts, it adds.
Swiss authorities can immediately approve the extradition, the statement continues.
The BBC has learned that Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein of Jordan - Sepp Blatter's rival for Fifa presidency - and his advisers will meet later on Wednesday to discuss the impact of the arrests on the presidential election this Friday.
Earlier this month, Mr Blatter said he was aware some of his former colleagues were under investigation.

Can only hope the US authorities get the bt between the teeth on this one. Looks like it is just North and South American officials atm but you can only hope. Tepflon Sepp will no doubt escape squeaky clean I suspect.

The beginning of the end?

Let's hope so - Qatar might start to get worried.

Leroy Ambrose said:

It's worth repeating here just in case anyone with a passing interest hasn't read it yet - but 'Foul!' by Andrew Jennings is a brilliant (if depressing) read. The material on Jack Warner is utterly incredible - concacaf make Blatter look like a choirboy in comparison

Outstanding book.

Surely with this happening on Blatter's watch, his position must now be untenable. Great timing by the FBI or whoever is in charge of the investigation with the election in the next few days.

Knowing Switzetland fairly well I can only imagine this would have happened after a) huge pressure from the States, and b) overwhelming evidence against the accused.

Hopefully at least one of them will make a deal with the authorities and give provide evidence a comprehensive view of corruption within FIFA.

Leroy Ambrose said:

It's worth repeating here just in case anyone with a passing interest hasn't read it yet - but 'Foul!' by Andrew Jennings is a brilliant (if depressing) read. The material on Jack Warner is utterly incredible - concacaf make Blatter look like a choirboy in comparison

Just ordered it. Thanks for the advice.

It's encouraging but there's a part of me that feels somehow they will squirm out of any charges. The dream of Blatter toppling and falling hard is someway off.

Sepp's written to the FBI to seek clarification

Reuters: Swiss federal office of justice says criminal proceedings opened in connection with allocation of 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

IF and I mean IF Blatter is ever arrested and charged I bet they will pull out he is too ill to stand excuse. The man, in a world where there is much wrong, epitomises greed and filth like few others.

The marshals are heading for Shawshank's warden but they'll never take ol' Seppy alive ....

In such a tightly-knit mob like Fifa, deniability is not the easiest of cards to play because ignorance and lack of supervision betoken wilful negligence on a monumental scale.

Any self-respecting politician, and there are some, would have resigned long ago. However, Blatter dare not - enough mud will surely stick this time, though, and this classic manoeuvre by the authorities includes extreme time pressure.
No doubt the janitor at the Baur au Lac has ordered emergency stocks of Andrex ....

killerandflash said:

What are the odds that the corruption enquiries lead to Millwall being reinstated back into the Championship?

Have faith - they are gone and with no way back (for years and years and years!)

So some Fifa officials have been arrested on suspicion of corruption within Fifa. This is the most shocking revelation since Tom Daley announced he was gay!