FIFA is a brand known by many and has recently been involved in a huge scandal. On May 27, in Zurich, Switzerland. Swiss police, on Wednesday, raided a Zurich hotel to detain top FIFA football officials as part of a US investigation into possible corruption the Simpsons may have predicted.
By: Ryan Stone
In Zurich, some police officers went into a massive hotel which was the site of this week’s annual meeting of FIFA, soccer’s global governing body. The officers got room numbers from the front desk, headed upstairs, and arrested six FIFA executives.
The Justice Department’s announcement primarily cites deals between FIFA, sports marketing groups and broadcast corporations for the television rights to air the World Cup and other international soccer tournaments.
This goes back to 1991; the indictment those involved conspired to receive bribes from marketing firms in exchange for exclusive television contracts to the cumulative tune of more than $150 million.
The Attorney General Loretta Lynch said, “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.”
All of this could bring big issues to the soccer world and more than likely everyone involved will be brought to justice.