Arrest of Seven Senior FIFA Officials on Charges of 'Financial Corruption'

Swiss police arrested seven senior officials of the International Football Federation (FIFA) in a luxury hotel in Zurich on Wednesday, June 6. These arrests came after the U.S. Department of Justice issued an indictment against nine FIFA officials, including the seven arrested in Zurich. Three law enforcement officials related to this case told the New York Times that investigations by the FBI have shown that the individuals arrested in Zurich have been involved in widespread financial corruption at FIFA over the past two decades. The Associated Press reports that the case against these individuals includes bribery of 'over $100 million' related to football tournaments held in the United States and Latin America during the 1990s. According to reports, the bribers received 'media, marketing, and sponsorship rights' in exchange for their payments to FIFA officials regarding football competitions. The Associated Press also notes that it is still unclear whether the issue of the United States hosting the 1994 World Cup is related to this case. The senior FIFA officials had gathered in Zurich, Switzerland, to participate in a FIFA congress and elect the president of the federation. Walter De Gregorio, FIFA's spokesperson, told the Associated Press that Sepp Blatter, the current president of FIFA, 'is not among those arrested and has nothing to do with this case.' International media journalists gathered at the entrance of the 'Baur Au Lac' hotel in Zurich on Wednesday during the arrest of FIFA's senior officials, a scene reminiscent of the controversial Qatar case regarding World Cup hosting. The French news agency also reports that simultaneously with the announcement of the arrest of these six individuals, the U.S. Department of Justice issued an indictment against nine FIFA officials and five media and sports business executives. In this indictment, these individuals are accused of engaging in bribery and extortion for over 24 years. According to U.S. officials, these 'briberies' involve more than '150 million dollars,' and the accused are currently facing extradition to the United States. On the same day, it was reported that Swiss federal prosecutors opened a judicial case related to the selection of Russia as the host for the 2018 World Cup and Qatar for the 2022 World Cup. Swiss prosecutors stated that on Wednesday, while examining FIFA's headquarters in Switzerland, they obtained 'documents and electronic data' that could assist in investigating bribery allegations in the selection of World Cup hosts. The British newspaper Sunday Times reported last year that Qatari officials had bribed FIFA to secure the hosting of the 2022 World Cup. The newspaper accused Mohammed bin Hammam, the former head of FIFA's executive committee, of bribing Asian committee members with multiple bribes totaling over one billion seven hundred million dollars to vote in favor of Qatar. Qatari officials have previously denied such allegations, and FIFA's disciplinary officials have also stated that they have begun investigations into these claims.