The US and Switzerland investigators have cornered nine Fifa officials and four executives of corporate sports bodies for corruption charges. The officials are accused of receiving money stretching back 24 years and totaling $100 million.
The new revelation will create troubles for two interesting venues – Russia, the political rival of US and Europe and the surprise winner for the 2022 WC, Qatar, who defeated the US to host the WC.
The US prosecutors revealed that the officials colluded with sports marketing executives to “shut out competitors and keep highly lucrative contracts for themselves through the systematic payment of bribes and kickbacks”.
The US and Swiss officials told that the venues for 2018 and 2022 were fixed under corruption. The 2018 world cup is to be hosted by Russia. Interestingly, 2022 world cup hosting bid, won by Qatar was a controversial one and raised eyebrows from many quarters.
The outcome of the today’s revelation is that there is every likelihood for Qatar losing its 2022 World Cup. Already many countries are opposing Qatar’s selection citing different reasons from heat to suspected corruption.
Another host Russia is an unfriendly country for the entire Europe and the US now. Sanctions against Russia are continuing. Russia’s annexation of Crimea and its actions in Ukraine will not be settled by 2018 when Europeans and the Americans have to travel there to play the World Cup.
Swiss officials have already started a criminal probe against the award of venues to Russia and Qatar. Every chance is that Stepp Blatter and his team may have to make a rethinking about these two venues.
Corruptions were there for the last 24 years. But its sudden discovery is a rich catch for the US and European teams-politically.
