FIFA is imploding with officials falling over themselves to admit corruption in the hope of minimising punishments.
Within 24 hours of Sepp Blatter stepping down Jack Warner has claimed that FIFA financed the 2010 elections in Trinidad & Tobago.
Former FIFA vice-president Warner has been at the centre of accusations for a number of years and was arrested and released last week in Trindad as the American led campaign finally exposes the ‘back-hander’ culture inside the world governing body.
With broadcasting and commercial deals running into billions of dollars it’s hardly surprising that some funds have been misappropriated with the good life coming to a halt for those that have benefited most from the gravy train.
“I will no longer keep secrets for them who actively seek to destroy the country,” Warner said on television last night. “Not even death will stop the avalanche that is coming. The die is cast. There can be no turning back. Let the chips fall where they fall.”
The whistle blower on the whole episode is Chuck Blazer the former general secretary of CONCACAF, yesterday the United States Department of Justice decided to publish his testimony taken under oath.
“I and others on the FIFA executive committee agreed to accept bribes in conjunction with the selection of South Africa as the host nation for the 2010 World Cup,” Blazer said in his testimony.
“I agreed with other persons in or around 1992 to facilitate the acceptance of a bribe in conjunction with the selection of the host nation for the 1998 World Cup.”
“I and others agree that I or a co-conspirator would commit at least two acts of racketeering activity.
“Beginning in, or around, 2004 and continuing to 2011, I and others on the FIFA executive committee agreed to accept bribes in conjunction with the selection of South Africa as the host nation for the 2010 World Cup.
“While acting in our official capacities we agreed to participate in a scheme to defraud FIFA and CONCACAF on the right to honest services by taking undisclosed bribes.”
It is expected that much more revelations will emerge in the coming days and weeks.
