More than 14 high-ranking FIFA officials were arrested this Tuesday in Zurich on corruption charges. These FIFA officials are being extradited to the United States for taking more than $150 million in bribes ranging from 1990 to the present.
Although these officials have been arrested, FIFA’s presidential election will still happen on Friday. Suspicion over bribery came up when FIFA controversially selected the 2018 World Cup to be in Russia and the 2022 World Cup to be in Qatar. Police in Zurich detained the officials at the hotel that all FIFA members were staying. Many officials were in Zurich for the week for the annual FIFA meeting.
FIFA has had corruption issues in the past, in the 2011 presidential election for the organization, officials admitted to being bribed more than $40,000 to vote for then-candidate Mohamed Bin Hammam. Another controversy is when Trinidad and Tobago Soccer committee member Jack Warner was paid more than $10 million to vote for South Africa to host the world cup 2010. FIFA president Joseph Blatter will be seeking a fifth term as FIFA president in Friday’s election. Blatter has not been indicted with any charges, but he has been in the media over controversy in the past.
Overall, most agree that FIFA is a corrupt association that is just hungry for money. FIFA’s motto is “For the game, for the world.” but do they really live up to it?
