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We are issuing FIFA a red card": US Department of Justice vow clamp down on football corruption

The next president of FIFA has a responsibility to ensure not only a safe and successful 2018 World Cup, but the endurance of the FIFA mission that claims to promote football ‘globally in the light of its unifying, educational, cultural and humanitarian values.’  We strongly encourage you to elect a president who will uphold these values and work to deny the Putin regime the privilege of hosting the 2018 World Cup.

So far so good.

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We are issuing FIFA a red card": US Department of Justice vow clamp down on football corruption

The USA showing the red card to the International Football Association?

One starts to wonder if it's really only about corruption or rather politically motivated.
Fighting corruption is one thing, instrumentalizing the FIFA for political purposes just another.

ZURICH — Sepp Blatter, the president of world soccer’s governing body, acknowledged the “unprecedented and difficult times” for his organization on Thursday and said it must do a better job of policing itself, but he largely avoided taking responsibility for the actions of “a tiny minority” arrested in a corruption inquiry this week.

Jack Warner, a former FIFA vice president, is among those expected to face charges in the United
Despite Wednesday’s arrests, Sepp Blatter is expected to win a fifth term as FIFA’s president on Friday.

FIFA officials, including Eduardo Li, were led out of the Baur au Lac hotel on Wednesday. Mr. Li was set to join FIFA’s powerful executive committee this weekend.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the annual congress of the members of FIFA, the governing body, Mr. Blatter initially struck a somber tone after the arrest of several top soccer officials during a dawn raid at a luxury hotel here on Wednesday. Mr. Blatter, who was not directly implicated in the indictment from the United States Department of Justice (which is seeking extradition of the executives detained on their request) or a separate investigation announced by Swiss authorities, said he knew that many soccer observers “hold me ultimately responsible for the actions and reputation of the global football community, whether it’s the destination of the hosting of a World Cup or a corruption scandal.”

Despite the chaos and controversy engulfing Fifa, world football’s governing body, its president, Sepp Blatter, has secured a fifth term in charge.

The embattled Sepp Blatter struck a familiarly defiant tone as he began his fifth term as president of FIFA, blaming others for the widespread corruption scandal that has engulfed international soccer.
Mr. Blatter told reporters late on Friday and on Saturday that the United States authorities chose last week to make a raid in Zurich as an attempt to stop him from being re-elected as the head of FIFA, soccer’s world governing body.

Mr. Blatter also said the arrests of 14 soccer and marketing officials had stemmed from resentment by England and the United States, which failed in bids to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
He also suggested that the United States authorities acted because of American political support for Jordan, the country of Mr. Blatter’s rival in Friday’s FIFA election, Prince Ali bin al-Hussein.
When FIFA has been confronted with charges of corruption, Mr. Blatter has often blamed larger nations to shore up his support among smaller, less developed countries.

The timing of the raid was not a coincidence, Mr. Blatter told RTS, saying, “The Americans, if they have a financial crime that regards American citizens, then they must arrest these people there and not in Zurich when we have a congress.”
On Saturday, Mr. Blatter said at a news conference that he did not believe he would be arrested and denied that he was the unnamed FIFA official accused in Wednesday’s indictments of offering a $10 million bribe in an attempt to influence the vote for the 2010 World Cup.
“I have especially no concerns about my person,” Mr. Blatter said.

“Regardless of this ongoing probe, our officials are committed to accepting bribes in exchange for FIFA media and marketing rights, redirecting construction funds to personal expense accounts, and offering lavish gifts to Qatari political ministers in order to sidestep government regulations exactly as originally planned. These accusations of wrongdoing will not be a distraction as we prepare for what we all hope will be the greatest FIFA slush fund yet.”

Sepp Blatter says he will resign as president of football's governing body Fifa amid a corruption scandal.

In announcing his exit, the 79-year-old has called an extraordinary Fifa congress "as soon as possible" to elect a new president.

Blatter was re-elected last week, despite seven top Fifa officials being arrested two days before the vote as part of a US prosecution.

But he said: "My mandate does not appear to be supported by everybody."

"My mandate does not appear to be supported by everybody."