Interpol puts ex-FIFA officials on most wanted list

[frigidmagi]

ABC

Interpol has put disgraced FIFA executive members Jack Warner and Nicolas Leoz on their most wanted list and issued an international alert.

Four heads of sports marketing companies have also been put on the list. All six are wanted by US authorities investigating more than 135 million euros ($AU193 million) of bribes paid to football officials.

Warner, a former FIFA vice president, is in Trinidad and Tobago. Leoz, an executive member, is reportedly under house arrest in his native Paraguay.

"At the request of US authorities ... international wanted persons alerts have been issued for two former FIFA officials and four corporate executives for charges including racketeering, conspiracy and corruption," the Lyon-based international police body said in a statement.

Three of the sports marketing bosses are Argentine nationals: Alejandro Burzac and Hugo and Mariano Jinkis.

The other is Brazilian national Jose Margulies — also known as Jose Lazaro, according to Interpol.

Interpol stressed the so-called "red notice" issued against the six was not an international arrest warrant, and it cannot force national authorities to hold the suspects.

The publication of the red notices came a day after the spectacular resignation of FIFA boss Sepp Blatter, as the New York Times reported the 79-year-old was the focus of an FBI corruption probe.

ABC America also said Mr Blatter was the subject of an investigation, which it said was part of the larger probe that led to the arrest of seven FIFA officials in a luxury Swiss hotel.

US attorney-general Loretta Lynch, on a visit to Latvia, declined to comment on whether Mr Blatter was under investigation.

Mr Blatter has not been charged and FIFA did not respond to a request for comment about him possibly being under investigation.

South Africa denies bribes were paid to secure 2010 Cup

South Africa has denied that a payment of $US10 million ($12.88 million) to Mr Warner during its successful bid for the 2010 World Cup was a bribe.

Sports minister Fikile Mbalula on Wednesday told a news conference that neither South Africa's government nor the 2010 World Cup bid and organising committee bought votes for the right to host the finals.

"The fact that a payment of $US10 million was made to an approved program above board does not equate to bribery," Mr Mbalula said.

"Those who allege should prove their allegations.

"We refuse to be caught up in a battle of the United States authorities and FIFA.

"Our purpose and intent is to ensure that we respond to the allegations levelled at our country, government and its citizens.

"We therefore wish to categorically deny that our country and government have bribed anyone to secure the rights to the 2010 FIFA World Cup."

It follows last week's indictment filed by US prosecutors that alleges world soccer's governing body paid the sum to the Caribbean Football Union, headed by Warner.

FIFA issued a statement on Tuesday saying that in 2007, as part of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the South African government approved a $US10 million project to support the African diaspora in Caribbean countries.

However, the US indictment says the money — an alleged bribe from South Africa for the World Cup — was shared by Warner and other CONCACAF members in return for their votes.

Timeline of the scandal

[rhoenix]

This is just heartwarming to watch, I have to say.

[Norseman]

This is horrible! This is absolutely unspeakable! Do you know what this means?!

[youtube][/youtube]

John Oliver will have to drink Budweiser Lite Lime!

[General Havoc]

This entire circumstance should be provided with a Yakkity Sax soundtrack.

[Josh]

I must now smugly point out that no NFL scandals have resulted in Interpol notices.

[General Havoc]

In fairness, there's a few NFL scandals that should have resulted in those.

But nobody in any American sport, not even Roger Goodell himself, is capable of the level of corruption that FIFA has been getting up to.

[Lys]

Keep in mind that for American sports there are no jurisdictional questions with respect to the authority of the Feds. When you have several of the best investigative agencies on the planet breathing down your neck, it tends to encourage some modicum of restraint in corruption. Meanwhile FIFA is an international organization that gets to operate in places were spectacular levels of corruption are expected and tolerated. So there are significant differences in organizational scope and opportunity for corruption.