U.S. indicts world soccer officials in alleged $150 million FIFA bribery scandal

washingtonpost.com

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Today’s arrests are a damaging blow to FIFA. After accusations of bribery first arose in 2011, FIFA launched an internal investigation. But the investigation itself became a scandal. Former U.S. prosecutor Michael J. Garcia spent nearly two years compiling a report, only for FIFA to block its release. Garcia quit in protest. FIFA later released a summary of the report, in which the organization admitted that ethics violations had occurred but denied that the World Cup bidding process had been dirtied.

Suspicions over the next two World Cups are sure to intensify now that top FIFA officials have been indicted for corruption.

The selection of Russia and Qatar for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments, respectively, were already controversial enough without being connected to corruption allegations. Critics have questioned the decision to award Russia the World Cup when the country is currently occupying Crimea, for example.

Qatar, meanwhile, has come under criticism for its treatment of migrant workers. More than 1,000 workers have died building soccer stadiums. Earlier this month, critics demanded World Cup sponsors pull out of Qatar over work conditions. And on Saturday, the Nepalese government said its citizens had not been allowed to leave Qatar to attend funerals for family members killed in the recent earthquake. More