Fifa Officials Arrested Over Corruption Cases

Swiss authorities have arrested seven leading FIFA officials in Zurich on racketeering and bribery charges brought by the United States and announced they have opened a criminal case in connection with the allocation of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

The arrested officials are among 14 people named in a 47-count indictment that was unsealed in federal court in New York City on Wednesday, and face extradition to the US for questioning.

Among those charged in the indictment are FIFA Vice President Jeffrey Webb and Jack Warner - the current and former presidents of CONCACAF. (CONCACAF is the continental confederation under FIFA headquartered in the US, whose Miami offices were also raided by authorities on Wednesday.

Nicolas Leoz, former FIFA executive committee member; Eugenio Figueredo, current FIFA vice president and executive committee member; and the chief of Brazilian football, Jose Maria Marin, who oversaw last year's World Cup in Brazil, have also been charged.

The 14 officials and executives were charged over a bribery and kickback scheme involving $150m that spanned a 24-year period.

The US Justice Department revealed that four individuals and two companies have already pleaded guilty, in a case that has rocked football's world governing body.

"It spans at least two generations of soccer officials who, as alleged, have abused their positions of trust to acquire millions of dollars in bribes and kickbacks," said Loretta Lynch, the US attorney general.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter was not among the men arrested, FIFA spokesperson Walter de Gregorio confirmed. The governing body's officials are in Switzerland for the congress as its gets ready to elect its next president.

"The general secretary and president have not been arrested," de Gregorio said in a press conference.
"FIFA welcomes this process as it initiated it last November, lodging a legal complaint with the federal attorney.

De Gregorio called the arrests a "difficult moment" but said it would not derail Blatter's bid to win a fifth term in an election on Friday.

He said that Blatter was "not dancing in his office" following the arrests but remained "calm" and was prepared to cooperate fully with investigators.

De Gregorio also said the decision would not affect the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

"The 2018 and 2022 World Cups will be played in Russia and Qatar. One thing [arrests] has nothing to do with the other and the election will take place as planned."

"Russia and Qatar will be played. This is a fact today and I won't go into speculation about what will happen tomorrow."