Soccer Blogdome: Blazer fired then un-fired, Blatter under fire, FIFA on fire
May 31, 2011, 4:45 PM EDT
The FIFA/CONCACAF corruption mess just keeps getting uglier and uglier. Just days after blowing the whistle on alleged bribes involving then-CONCACAF President Jack Warner and FIFA presidential candidate Mohamed Bin Hammam, the man who has temporarily replaced Warner as the head of CONCACAF tried to fire Chuck Blazer. The attempt was unsuccessful though.
Lisle Austin, the man who has replaced Warner as CONCACAF president, issued a statement saying Blazer had been “terminated as general secretary of CONCACAF with immediate effect”.
UPDATED- Here is a statement released by CONCACAF, stating that Austin was NOT authorized to fire Blazer:
Today an unauthorized declaration was made by Lisle Austin attempting to remove Chuck Blazer as General Secretary of CONCACAF.
This attempted action was taken without any authority. Under the CONCACAF Statutes, jurisdiction over the General Secretary rests solely with the CONCACAF Executive Committee which has taken no action. Further a majority of the Executive Committee Members have advised Mr. Austin that he does not have the authority to take such action.
Chuck Blazer continues as CONCACAF General Secretary and with the full authority of his office. The Confederation continues its normal operations including the Gold Cup commencing on June 5th at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas.
- Official releases pictorial evidence. This is a picture of the money that a Caribbean football official says he was offered following a presentation by FIFA presidential candidate Mohamed bin Hammam. The money, as the picture clearly shows, was delivered in a brown envelope with the name of the Bahamas FA on it. Inside the envelope was US $40,000 in crisp, new $100 bills – four packs each of $10,000. [ESPN SoccerNet]
- Visa Joins Chorus of FIFA Partners Concerned By Corruption Scandals. [World Football Insider]
- Political Infighting at FIFA Paves Way For Sepp Blatter to be Re-Elected President. [World Cup Buzz]
- Some difficulties in a sea of crisis. [Unprofessional Foul]
- Sepp Blatter snaps at the press about respect. [Dirty Tackle]
Tweet of the Day. “Concacaf make the Borgias look like the Waltons” [Paul Kelso]
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Blogdome isn’t always just about soccer, but FIFA is especially corrupt and dysfunctional today, so here you go. Contact: Rickchand@gmail.com.
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- drmonkeyarmy - May 31, 2011 at 9:30 PM
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This was bound to happen eventually. Corruption throughout FIFA is so widespread, it has turned into a sham organization. It is only going to get uglier too.
