U.S. soccer president tells CNN more misconduct cases reported on FIFA corruption, as ex-FBI agent says FBI wants more information
U.S. soccer president tells CNN more misconduct cases reported on FIFA corruption, as ex-FBI agent says FBI wants more information
U.S. soccer president tells CNN Sports to turn on their faucets
The U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) is asking all of its members to turn on their faucets as details of a growing criminal investigation into corruption at FIFA grow.
The organization is being closely watched for its response to the findings of a report issued last month by Swiss prosecutors that laid out the evidence used to indict 11 people, including seven of the soccer’s top executives and two of its top officials.
Among the allegations against the soccer’s top officials were allegations of bribes and kickbacks paid to wealthy owners and officials from South America, the Middle East and China.
The U.S. Soccer Federation, which is based in New Jersey, said it and FIFA face an immediate and growing threat to its global reputation as a leader in soccer, which generates more than $500 billion in annual revenue for the global sport’s governing body.
While FIFA has said its investigation into corruption at the soccer’s elite club, continental and regional governing bodies will continue, its president Sepp Blatter has said the case should not affect the organization’s work from the World Cup in the summer through to the next FIFA Congress in November.
“If they want to carry on with the World Cup without the World Cup, it was a decision which would have been taken after the (Wimbledon) final, which is why it wasn’t taken,” Blatter said of the decision to move the last round of the World Cup from Brazil to the French city of Marseille where it will be played.
“I am not going to interfere with that. As far as the World Cup is concerned, the World Cup is the number one priority for FIFA and for me. There are