Early on Wednesday morning, seven FIFA members were arrested by Swiss official in a 6am raid on a luxury, five-star hotel in the city of Zurich, as two separate investigations were opened into world football’s governing body.
The seven officials were arrested on charges by the US over bribery allegations worth over $150m (£97.4m), related with commercial deals and kickbacks for a duration of 24 years, with the charges being describes as “rampant, systemic and deep-rooted both abroad and in the US” by US attorney Loretta Lynch.
FIFA presidential candidate Prince Ali bin al-Hussein reacts to Wednesday's controversy
Following the arrest of six #FIFA officials, Prince Ali bin al-Hussein says it's "a sad day for football" pic.twitter.com/rEh131LvkJ
— BBC 5 live Sport (@5liveSport) May 27, 2015
The seven officials arrested were FIFA vice-president and executive committee member from the Cayman Islands Jeffrey Webb, FIFA vice-president and executive committee member from Uruguay Eugenio Figueredo, FIFA executive committee member-elect and Costa Rica Football Association president Eduardo Li, FIFA development officer and president of the Nicaragua FA Julio Rocha, attache to the CONCACAF president Costas Takkas, CONMEBOL executive committee member and Venezuela FA president Rafael Esquivel, and former president of the Brazilian FA Jose Maria Marin.
Hotel staff attempted to conceal the detained FIFA officials' faces with sheets
Hotel staff trying to use sheets to hide officials as they exit. pic.twitter.com/o0VFKuFnQi
— Sam Borden (@SamBorden) May 27, 2015
It is important to note that incumbent FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who is standing for the upcoming elections and seeking a fifth term in office, was not implicated in the bribery charges.
Electronic data and bank documents were also seized, with some accounts frozen, in a raid on FIFA’s Zurich headquarters.
FIFA and Blatter trolled and blasted on Twitter
#FIFA responds to this morning's arrests...https://t.co/M7wO9HPcIY
— Paddy Power (@paddypower) May 27, 2015
If Blatter had even a crumb of dignity remaining, he'd walk away now, creep back to his lair, sit in his armchair and stroke his cat.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) May 27, 2015
Blatter right now pic.twitter.com/cyGOErmpqP
— barcastuff (@barcasstuff) May 27, 2015
Sepp Blatter with a letter for the FBI. pic.twitter.com/zsQuJqTCBg
— Not Match of the Day (@NOT_MOTD) May 27, 2015
Even Ian Wright's jumped on the Sepp Blatter hate wagon. pic.twitter.com/lE6z67mXFG
— Footy Accumulators (@FootyAccums) May 27, 2015
There's no way Sepp Blatter can survive this, whether he's guilty or not, it's the end of the line for him as President of FIFA...
— Carl Bövis (@CarlBovis_AFC) May 27, 2015
In a separate case, the Swiss Federal Office of Justice have launched a criminal investigation over alleged “criminal mismanagement and money laundering” in the awarding of Russia and Qatar the 2018 and 2022 World Cup hosting rights, respectively.
Despite all this chaos, FIFA spokesman Walter de Gregorio revealed that Friday’s presidential elections will continue as scheduled, with a “relaxed” Sepp Blatter expected to come out victorious and remain in office.
Furthermore, in a media release by football’s governing body, they labeled themselves as an “injured party”, as they promised to cooperate with the investigations, launched in pursuit of “the good of football”, as the organization “welcomes actions that can help contribute to rooting out any wrongdoing” in the beautiful game.
