After suspicion, the time has come for the first accusations. According to a document released Monday by the Brooklyn Attorney General, FIFA officials have received bribes to promote the award of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar.
It is the first time that the justice of a country affirms that the votes designating Qatar and Russia were marred by irregularities. Several media have already claimed, based on documents or testimony, that FIFA officials were paid to choose Qatar during the poll.
Complex network of front companies
According to the indictment published Monday, which charges three new individuals as well as a company, Jack Warner, the former president of Concacaf, the football federation of North, Central and Caribbean, received 5 millions of dollars to vote for Russia.
The latter was officially designated on December 2, 2010. Also according to Brooklyn attorney Richard Donoghue, the payment was made through a complex network of shell companies. In addition to Jack Warner, who was, at the time, vice-president of Fifa, the document also quotes Rafael Salguero, former president of the Guatemalan Football Federation and ex-member of the executive committee of FIFA.
A million dollar vote
According to the indictment, the leader was promised a million dollars in exchange for his support for the Russian candidacy in the decisive vote. As part of the 2022 World Cup, the document also states that several leaders received envelopes to buy their votes.
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- Corruption
- FIFA
- Sport
- 2022 world cup
- 2018 world cup