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Switzerland launches investigation into award of 2018, 2022 world cups to Russia, Qatar

27 May 2015 12:42 (UTC +04:00)

Baku – APA. Swiss federal prosecutors said they had opened criminal proceedings in connection with the award of the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the 2022 tournament to Qatar. Police will question 10 members of the FIFA executive committee members who took part in the World Cup votes, The Guardian reported.

The Swiss police announced starting the investigation after the arrest of FIFA officials early Wednesday morning in Zurich. Note that, as a result of the investigation being conducted in the US, 9 FIFA officials, including Vice-President Jeffry Webb, have been detained. US Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch, F.B.I. Director James Comey and Chief of IRS-Criminal Investigation Richard Weber are expected to hold a news conference on Wednesday morning in Brooklyn, New York. It is said that the US intelligence agencies have been investigating the bribery and corruption in FIFA and evidences were obtained upon American member of the FIFA Executive Committee, Charles Blazer’s agreeing to cooperate with the investigation. The detainees are expected to be extradited to the US. US authorities suspect the officials of taking bribes "totaling more than $100 million". The soccer officials detained are FIFA vice-president Jeffrey Webb, Eugenio Figueredo, Jack Warner (former FIFA vice-president), Eduardo Li, Julio Rocha, Costas Takkas, Rafael Esquivel, José Maria Marin and Nicolás Leoz. A further four defendants were the sports marketing executives Alejandro Burzaco, Aaron Davidson, Hugo Jinkis and Mariano Jinkis. A further marketing executive, José Marguiles, was charged as an intermediary. On Wednesday morning, Blatter – who was not among those arrested – was said to be actively lobbying to have Friday’s election postponed. According to The New York Times, an investigation has already been launched on Blatter.

Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said arrests of the FIFA officials are not connected with Russia’s bidding campaign for the 2018 World Cup. FIFA spokesman Walter de Gregorio said the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids will not be taken away from Russia and Qatar.

An internal investigation was also conducted within FIFA into the award of the Word Cup finals to Russia and Qatar. Michael Garcia, who investigated the bidding process, had resigned from the FIFA Ethics Committee after his report was not published completely.