Putin accuses US of meddling into FIFA affairs

[webfact]

Putin accuses US of meddling into FIFA affairs

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the United States of meddling in FIFA's affairs and hinted that it was part of an attempt to take the 2018 World Cup away from his country.

Putin said in televised comments Thursday that he found it "odd" that the probe was launched at the request of U.S. officials for crimes which do not involve its citizens and did not happen in the United States.

Corruption charges in the U.S. were announced Wednesday against 14 people, with at least two of them holding American citizenship. Seven of the 14 were arrested Wednesday morning in Zurich ahead of a FIFA meeting and Friday's presidential election in which Sepp Blatter is expected to win a fifth term.

In a separate probe, Swiss prosecutors opened criminal proceedings into FIFA's awarding of the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the 2022 tournament to Qatar.

Putin said even if "someone has done something wrong," Russia "has nothing to do with it." He then tried to portray the probe as a U.S. attempt to go after dissenters, likening the case to the persecution of whistleblowers Julian Assange and Edward Snowden.

"Our American counterparts, unfortunately, are using the same methods to reach their goals and illegally persecute people. I don't rule out that this is the case in relation to FIFA," Putin said. "I have no doubt that this is yet another evident attempt to derail Mr. Blatter's re-election as FIFA president. We are aware of the pressure that he was subjected to in relation to Russia holding the 2018 World Cup."

Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko, who is also a FIFA executive committee member and is in Zurich for the governing body's congress and presidential election, said Wednesday that his country welcomes the investigation.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-05-28

[Jingthing]

Yes, please, take it away from that horrible, corrupt dictator.

[coulson]

Stones ..... glass houses

[JetsetBkk]

Stones ..... glass houses

Pot, kettle, black.

[Jingthing]

I don't know or really care if there is an intentional U.S. tactic to take the world cup away from Putin ... but such a loss for Putin would be richly deserved.

[coulson]

I don't know or really care if there is an intentional U.S. tactic to take the world cup away from Putin ... but such a loss for Putin would be richly deserved.

Would be a huge loss too, given the money he's about to spend in Ukraine

[Basil B]

Russia (Putin) is worried that when the truth about how Russia secured the 2018 games or more to the point how much they paid that the games just may get moved or boycotted...

[coulson]

Russia (Putin) is worried that when the truth about how Russia secured the 2018 games or more to the point how much they paid that the games just may get moved or boycotted...

Moved to where? Riyadh?

Fifa is clearly an equal part of the problem..

[lovetotravel]

The US had very good reasons for "meddling" into the affairs of FIFA. Some of the deals were done on US soil and involved US citizens. And involved officials from Concacaf.

http://www.businessinsider.sg/chuck-blazer-reportedly-informed-fbi-in-fifa-investigation-2015-5/#.VWb5F0a3v9A

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_2018_FIFA_World_Cup_controversies

As with the 2014 Winter Olympics, the choice of Russia as host of the 2018 FIFA World Cup has been challenged.

Controversial issues have included the level of racism in Russian football, and perceived discrimination against LGBT people in wider Russian society.

Russia's involvement in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine has also caused calls for the tournament to be moved, particularly following the annexation of Crimea and military intervention in Eastern Ukraine, as well as Russia's alleged role in the destruction of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17. FIFA President Sepp Blatter has declined requests for the tournament to be moved.

Allegations of corruption in the bidding processes for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups were cleared by the Garcia Report, although its findings were rejected by several countries.

[Publicus]

Putin's fingerprints on it gives it the reverse Midas touch.

More heat for Putin and Russia and for whomever else, this time Fifa which is actually one of the easiest targets to nail for massive global corruption to include much love from Russia with much money.

US huge bucks corporate sponsors had been getting quiet no headline heat about the games in Russia and in Qutar. Now its all over the media 24/7 and the sponsors are getting wobbly legs and a stiff backbone which means more trouble for Putin and his cronies at Fifa.

Money still talks out of both sides of its mouth.

[zierf1]

Is Switzerland a US colony? Their behavior suggests so.

[Steely Dan]

As I predicted on the original Fifa arrests thread, I suspect the Russia and Qatar world cups will not take place. p.s Whatever dirty washing Russia has Qatar has double.

Edited May 28, 2015 by Steely Dan

[Jingthing]

As I predicted on the original Fifa arrests thread, I suspect the Russia and Qatar world cups will not take place. p.s Whatever dirty washing Russia has Qatar has double.

Easier to nix Qatar yes?

Sent from my Lenovo S820_ROW using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Steely Dan]

As I predicted on the original Fifa arrests thread, I suspect the Russia and Qatar world cups will not take place. p.s Whatever dirty washing Russia has Qatar has double.

Easier to nix Qatar yes?

Sent from my Lenovo S820_ROW using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I think so, I also suspect there are larger political reasons outside of football.

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/05/its-time-think-about-boycotting-qatar-world-cup

[Berkshire]

The evidence is rock solid. Putin is pissed because he can't just call a news conference, make up some fictional account, and it all goes away.

[boomerangutang]

Not quite like meddling in another country's affairs, is it Mr. Putin?

[coulson]

The evidence is rock solid. Putin is pissed because he can't just call a news conference, make up some fictional account, and it all goes away.

He's not pissed at all, he's delighted to have the opportunity to give the middle finger to the west. In the meantime he's more concerned about what's happening on local soil. Let the west deal with fifa and their re-election

[coulson]

As I predicted on the original Fifa arrests thread, I suspect the Russia and Qatar world cups will not take place. p.s Whatever dirty washing Russia has Qatar has double.

Easier to nix Qatar yes?

Sent from my Lenovo S820_ROW using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I think so, I also suspect there are larger political reasons outside of football.

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/05/its-time-think-about-boycotting-qatar-world-cup

Anyone can copy paste this tripe. It's not your prediction at all.

If the world cup does not supposedly go ahead? Then who, so, can account for the billions that has already been spent to facilitate these events and plan it accrodingly?

It's not like having a barbecue at the beach and kicking a ball around, or should we all get together for a group hug and work on that idea?

Of course the world cup is going ahead as planned. Do you have any iota how much money is at stake if it doesn't?

[coulson]

http://content.time.com/time/specials/2007/personoftheyear/article/0,28804,1690753_1690757,00.html

Not his first rodeo.

Read time's article....its amazing how little has changed including policy on Iraq, restive Muslims, China& US relations(within russia) and what now he has a political world cup campaign to secure? Piece of cake. Take note

Edited May 28, 2015 by coulson

[Publicus]

As I predicted on the original Fifa arrests thread, I suspect the Russia and Qatar world cups will not take place. p.s Whatever dirty washing Russia has Qatar has double.

Easier to nix Qatar yes?

Sent from my Lenovo S820_ROW using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I think so, I also suspect there are larger political reasons outside of football.

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/05/its-time-think-about-boycotting-qatar-world-cup

Anyone can copy paste this tripe. It's not your prediction at all.

If the world cup does not supposedly go ahead? Then who, so, can account for the billions that has already been spent to facilitate these events and plan it accrodingly?

It's not like having a barbecue at the beach and kicking a ball around, or should we all get together for a group hug and work on that idea?

Of course the world cup is going ahead as planned. Do you have any iota how much money is at stake if it doesn't?

Fifa may be stuck with Russia as the 2018 host so Fifa is beginning to wonder what the games will look like.

Russia's original $18bn budget has almost evaporated the past ten months to only $8 billion. The rubble ruble continues to buy less, really a lot less each day.

Two of the 12 stadiums Fifa is co-funding have been reduced to 35k seating capacity from the Fifa standard of 45k and Russia just announced a 10% greater reduction of its total 2018 Cup budget while vowing all 12 stadiums, infrastructure, temporary facilities will be completed.

USA giant corporate sponsors totaling $1.5 bn are taking another look at the 2018 Cup to include Visa, Adidas, Coca-Cola, Continental, Castrol, Johnson & Johnson, McDonald's.

Other second tier corporate sponsors are reconsidering their total of $524 million of sponsorship, which are Toshiba, Yahoo, Sony, Budweiser among others.

These sponsors alone provide $2 billion of Fifa World Cup 2018 revenue.

If the people of a beach barbeque don't ante up their $20 bucks apiece then all you've got is sand and smoke.

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/555031/Russia-World-Cup-crisis-FIFA-pressure-budget-cut-ten-percent

[coulson]

I remember a scene in South America in recent years, any different?

Corruption, sponsorship, political unrest, infrastructure, protests, funds, deadlines........all part of the schedule, once the countdown kicks off, nobody gives a 5h1t!

Nice beaches too, and eye candy, can't say the same for ol USSR, (except for the eye candy;))

Edited May 28, 2015 by coulson

[geriatrickid]

Is Switzerland a US colony? Their behavior suggests so.

Not in the least. The Swiss piggybacked onto the US investigation and have had several European nationals on their target list for some time. The ability of the FBI to have the No.2 in the US federation recording his conversations was a gift to the Swiss. Are you oblivious to the corruption associated with FIFA and the multiple complaints from UEFA? The FA and DFB have been particularly vociferous in their concerns. The Swiss have been under a lot of pressure from several EU countries to act.

[boomerangutang]

Sepak Tekraw should be a world-class game, on par with football/soccer. It takes as much or more skill than soccer, and would give SE Asians an opportunity to shine in team sports.

Also, what's this fixation with rectangular soccer fields? Why not an odd shaped field with one or two hills? Or two balls played concurrently. Or each side having two goals, each with a goalie? Or one of those two goals the size of a laundry hamper, with no goalie.

Soccer has become so staid. You see one game, you've seen 1,000.

I could go on about iron man contests, rock-climbing and other sports more exciting (and requiring more skill) than soccer, but breakfast beckons.

[lovetotravel]

Is Switzerland a US colony? Their behavior suggests so.

You mean their behavior of arresting a bunch of criminals on their soil? Congrats to the Swiss I'd say.

[FangFerang]

This is another case of selective enforcement and investigation on the part of the US. They never finished the FBI investigation into NFL corruption suspicions, and that is only one of dozens of times the US looks the other way (a glaring other example being the human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia).

I am American and love my country, but I hate my government. They are Orwellian.

[sdanielmcev]

Would be a lot easier if they skipped the pretense and just gave it to the highest bidder. I mean, they do it anyway.

[Berkshire]

This is another case of selective enforcement and investigation on the part of the US. They never finished the FBI investigation into NFL corruption suspicions, and that is only one of dozens of times the US looks the other way (a glaring other example being the human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia).

I am American and love my country, but I hate my government. They are Orwellian.

I don't get your comment. So are you suggesting that these FIFA people are innocent? Because if they're guilty, what does "selective enforcement" have to do with anything? If they're guilty of corruption, they need to be brought to account, period. As for Putin, the guy is about as corrupt as they come...surely you know this. Even his countrymen know this. Just ask Boris Nemtsov. Oh wait, you can't. Putin had him assassinated.

[spud67]

" Putin said even if "someone has done something wrong," Russia "has nothing to do with it." "

Hmmmm .... what's that line about 'he doth protest too much' ? Seriously Vlad, at least wait until they point some fingers at you before screaming out your innocence.

Soooooo the Women's World Cup is about to start in Canada and Canada has a habit of rubber stamping extraditions to the US. What are the chances the FIFA VIP rooms are suspiciously empty of FIFA VIPs?

[klauskunkel]

Putin said even if "someone has done something wrong," Russia "has nothing to do with it."

If it's all good then why are you crying so loudly?

[frimu]

Is Switzerland a US colony? Their behavior suggests so.

We have a history of offering our services to the highest bidder. :-)

Regards from a Swiss guy