The US prosecutors have never put it this clearly: Bribes are said to have flowed around FIFA’s World Cup awards to Russia and Qatar.
After years of investigations and more than 40 accusations in the FIFA corruption scandal, allegations by the American law enforcement authorities are putting pressure on the Qatar World Cup organizers – and could revive calls for consequences. From an expert point of view, a new award is unrealistic. Upon request, the world football association announced that it would like to obtain further information from the US Department of Justice and continued to promise “full cooperation” with the authorities.
The organizers of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar clearly rejected allegations of bribery. The Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC), which is responsible for hosting the World Cup in Qatar, said on Tuesday at the dpa request that the bidding process had “strictly adhered to all rules and regulations”. “All claims to the contrary are unfounded and are contested violently.”
Money transfer fraud and money laundering
Three Brooklyn media rights dealers and a Uruguayan company are accused of remittance and money laundering charges in a Brooklyn federal trial released Monday. Explosives can also be found in the other sub-items of the investigation.
Accordingly, three South American officials are said to have received money for their vote in Qatar: Nicolas Leoz, who has since died, then head of the South American continental association; Ricardo Teixeira, former soccer boss of Brazil, who was banned from life for other crimes by FIFA; and an unidentified co-conspirator who held high positions in FIFA and Argentine football.
“Essential facts are missing”
“With corruption, it is always important that a payment is linked to an action. We are not one step further,” said anti-corruption expert Sylvia Schenk about the allegations surrounding the Qatar surcharge. “There is a lack of essential facts: who paid how much and how was the link.”
Lawsuit of the unsuccessful applicants?
The head of the Sports Working Group at Transparency International Germany does not expect the World Cup to be awarded again: “Due to the financial consequences and the expected duration of the proceedings, every court in the world would decide that this would not be reversed.” However, the unsuccessful applicants may be entitled to compensation if they complain.
Almost two and a half years ago, key witness Alejandro Burzaco, ex-head of an Argentine sports marketing company, testified that former FIFA vice-president Julio Grondona should have received more than 800,000 euros when Qatar was awarded the World Cup.
Gianni Infantino had seen no reason to take new steps against Qatar in that alone: ”Unfortunately, there is a bad past. We have to learn and look ahead,” said the FIFA chief in December 2017.
World Cup 2018 also targeted by the judiciary
There are also serious accusations surrounding the awarding of the 2018 World Cup to Russia. According to the indictment, Jack Warner, who has now been banned for life, has received a $ 5 million kickback for his vote – paid through ten offshore straw companies in more than two dozen transfers.
The name of the former FIFA vice-president from Trinidad and Tobago convicted of corruption also appeared in the 2006 World Cup scandal in connection with a draft contract.
“An opinion of lawyers”
A Kremlin spokesman rejected the allegations “categorically”. The former head of the Russian World Cup organizing committee, Alexei Sorokin, also emphasized that no officials had been bought. “That’s just an opinion of lawyers,” he said, looking at the indictment.
This quotes from emails that the partner of an adviser to ex-FIFA President Joseph Blatter is said to have written to Warner’s assistant: “Kindly point out that ‘what has been agreed will be done this week.'” the “dear friend” not keeping “promises” would cause the writer “personally extreme difficulties”.
Ex-official Rafael Salguero from Guatemala is said to have been offered at least one million US dollars for his vote to Russia.
Two million for ten-year-olds
An investigation led by former head of the FIFA Ethics Committee, Michael Garcia, had revealed many suspicious details about the award to Russia and Qatar, but could not prove bribery of the electorate. For example, two million US dollars ended up in the account of a ten-year-old daughter of a member of the FIFA executive, the report said when the report was published in 2017. The report also found that there was “no evidence in the minutes” for one Give connection of payment to Qatar application.
After the first arrests of FIFA officials shortly before the re-election of the then world leader Blatter in May 2015, there were charges against 42 people, 26 were publicly known. Former continental president Juan Angel Napout is in prison in Florida. The former head of Brazilian football, Jose Maria Marin, was last released from custody because of the coronavirus pandemic. Numerous defendants are still awaiting judgment.
