[ame]https://twitter.com/SkySportsNewsHQ/status/738703709484548096[/ame]
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Again? Is this something new? Or relating to older?*Except Michael, who died.Comment
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This is new, from this afternoon, no idea what it's about.Comment
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Trey Nyoni: countdown to stardom-2 years1year0.5 yearsComment
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Infantino orders council tapes destroyed as FIFA’s new culture of cover-up deepens
3rd June 2016.
June 3 – Explosive new allegations have emerged of a cover-up orchestrated by FIFA president Gianni Infantino which could push him towards an ethics hearing only three months into the job.
According to German and Swiss publications, Infantino ordered recordings of a FIFA council meeting in Mexico last month to be deleted and could face a 90-day suspension if found to have acted inappropriately.
The recordings appeared to confirm he had pushed for the removal of FIFA’s Audit and Compliance chief Domenico Scala even though FIFA described as “ludicrous” an article in German’s Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) that a plot had been hatched to get rid of Scala, tasked with cleaning up financial corruption within FIFA.
Now, however, it is further claimed, in a leaked email dated May 23, that Infantino personally instructed his legal chief Marco Villiger – appointed this week as one of FIFA’s two deputy general secretaries – not to publish minutes of the meeting in question that took place a couple of days before the May 13 FIFA Congress. The internal email exchange (reproduced below) appears to confirm that Villiger acted at the request of Infantino.
FIFA’s ethics committee have refused to confirm whether Infantino is under investigation. “We are not in a position to indicate if we have or have not preliminary investigatory proceedings against an individual,” a brief statement said. “ We would however like to point out that there no formal proceedings going on against Mr. Infantino.”
When Infantino was elected three months ago, it was hoped he would provide a safe pair of hands. Now, like Sepp Blatter before him, he has already become embroiled in scandal and skulduggery – including appointing his new general secretary Soumara Fatma as a fait accompli without due process or an integrity check, refusing to accept his $2 million salary on offer from the compensation committee headed by Scala, and forcing both Scala and his finance director Markus Kattner out of the organisation.
The latest leak has been dismissed by FIFA, who said in a statement that one recording had been deleted because it was stored improperly, but that the original audio file still existed and was properly archived.
“In accordance with standard practice all official FIFA meetings – including council meetings – are recorded and archived. This was the case for the meeting in Mexico City in question,” a statement said.
“The email exchange that makes mention of the deletion of audio files refers to a copy of the original audio file of the meeting that was improperly saved on a local drive. This mention does not refer to the officially archived audio file. That file exists and is properly saved at FIFA.”
Yet once again FIFA has been forced into unconvincing trouble-shooting mode just when Infantino is striving to enhance his image. At the very least the leaked email asks more serious questions about Infantino’s quest for power and authority, the exact opposite of what the reform programme set out to achieve under his presidency.
Should the allegations against Infantino be substantiated, the 46-year-old former UEFA general secretary’s position seems bound to come under serious threat. Insideworldfootball has further learned that Kattner, who would have drawn up the minutes as acting secretary general, was barred from attending the meeting at which Scala’s removal was discussed. Kattner was later sacked by FIFA for unidentified “breaches of his fiduciary responsibilities in connection with his employment contract” without a personal hearing.
Kattner has not yet commented on the precise reasons for his dismissal but a source close to him told Insideworldfootball he was “surprised by the steps taken” and that he “had to learn about the allegations via the media.”
“He will take all legal action to protect his integrity and good standing,” the source added.
Last edited by Vermilion; 03-06-16, 04:19 PM.Comment
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Doesn't look like Sepp is going to disappear quietly!
Sepp Blatter claims European draws were rigged by manipulating balls
Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter said that he has witnessed draws for European football competitions that were rigged using the "hot and cold balls" method.
Blatter claims no draw for any FIFA event has ever been fixed in his 18 years as the head of the world's governing body, but the same cannot be said about European competitions.
While he did admit he had the power to affect such draw fixes, it was never carried out at FIFA, even though he knew of the method which was used in such cases.
"There was only one person who had that power in Europe. [Former UEFA president] Artemio Franchi used to do that for the club tournament draws," Blatter told La Nacion.
"I did not do that for the World Cup in 1978. But with my magic, I could do anything. Once again, I am joking. The draw was honest down to the last detail.
"I never touched the balls, something that other people did. Of course, you can rig them by making them hot or cold."
When pressed on how the draws were rigged to favour certain clubs or countries, the Swiss explained the exact method in which the draw balls come into play.
"Of course it is technically possible. This did not happen in FIFA but I have been witness to draws at the level of Europe, at which it happened," Blatter said.
"But never in FIFA. Of course it can be done but in my case it never happened, never.
"Before the draw you put the balls in the freezer. Then when you touch them you can determine which ones are cold or hot. By touching them you know what you have."
Sepp Blatter and two other high-ranking FIFA officials awarded themselves millions of dollars in raises and bonuses, lawyers for the organisation said.
Blatter, 80, who along with former UEFA president Michel Platini is serving a six-year ban -- reduced from eight years after a successful appeal -- from all football-related matters was also quick to defend himself.
He insisted that FIFA and himself have never done anything wrong, despite the organization being investigated for corruption where a slew of top football officials have been arrested in recent years.
"[I am] not corrupt. They have tried to find something on me but no one has found that I have violated any Swiss law," he said. "Swiss laws and any criminal law."
The former FIFA president was adamant that not only will his reputation remain unscathed, he has never felt remorseful for the corrupt accusations that have come his way.
He added: "They aren't going to find anything on me. My conscience is clear, yes.
"FIFA are not corrupt, any organization cannot be corrupt. Only men are. FIFA are an organization with 1,600 people, they can't all be corrupt."Comment
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wouldn't it be nice if joao havelange has left an envelope [not one of them, brandan] to be opened in the event of his death...
In 2010, a BBC Panorama programme accused Havelange and son-in-law Ricardo Teixeira of taking millions of dollars in bribes from Swiss marketing agency International Sport and Leisure (ISL) to retain the company as Fifa's sole official marketer.removing all the weak links makes us stronger
too many gutless players, no beef or desire. pussies everywhere... sack them all.Comment
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I think my mindset has been corrupted. I first thought was not along the lines of 'shame / RIP or whatever. I thought 'oooh, another one for the deathlist' (http://deathlist.net/)Football without Origi is nothingComment
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FIFA Just voted to expand the World Cup from 32 to 48 teams from 2024. What a **** change that will be. Just like the Euros I think it will dilute the quality of games.
Its all about getting extra money from advertisers. 16 more countries to extend their tentacles into for 4 weeks.*Except Michael, who died.Comment
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yeh, just the advertisers... nothing dodgy going on here.Originally posted by Alex View Post
now there are more countries to chuck some money into swiss bank accounts
removing all the weak links makes us stronger
too many gutless players, no beef or desire. pussies everywhere... sack them all.Comment
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Wonder how much China, UAE etc are paying for the increase.Comment
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They're even openly admitting that the overall quality of play will be reduced, a single team in each will not play on the last group day, encouraging dead-rubber, 'collusion' games between two sides (no guarantee of penos for draws) etc etcOriginally posted by Alex View Post
No upside at all............bar the money of course.Last edited by McDermotX; 10-01-17, 05:06 PM."I will make the boys feel your support"
Jurgen Klopp June 2020Comment
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I heard an interesting argument for the expanded World Cup. Because there are lots of teams from developing football nations (CONCACAF, CAF and AFC) then we will need to go through 20 or so years of lower quality in order for these to bring up to a better standard. Also at the moment only 17% of federations are represented at a world cup. Now it will grow to still only 23%
I do think we (the established football nations) are in danger of cutting out the smaller newer ones. Its happening in Cricket and its going to **** there from what I can see, thats becoming more and more insular with only 8 teams (well 3 actually) all vying for the money. So maybe its a good thing that more opportunity is made for other teams.
It does mean that an extra round of Knock Out football is going to happen, and that can only be a good thing.
I've no doubt that the driving factor in this decision is money. But if going after more money means more nations are bought into the party, then maybe its not so terrible.*Except Michael, who died.Comment
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The cynic in me says that there are a lot of smaller nations that Fifa like to appease as they provide a large powerbase for prospective candidates.Comment
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Let's not forget that the amount countries capable of hosting future expanded World Cups will have shrunken considerably now.
Stadia, training facilities for all sides, accommodation, transport, infrastructure etc...........Only large countries and FAs need apply (unless you're rich of course, then they're welcome to bid even if it's 40deg in the shade)"I will make the boys feel your support"
Jurgen Klopp June 2020Comment
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