Swiss authorities have conducted an extra ordinary operation to arrest six FIFA officials on corruptions charges at Zurich, Switzerland. Several officials of FIFA have come to Zurich to attend annual meeting.
The authorities have raided Baur au Lac hotel, an elegant five-star property unannounced and have arrested the officials. The arrests were carried peacefully and 14 officials are understood to be facing corruption charges world wide.
The arrests were primarily based on the corruption in FIFA regarding the awardsing of World Cup 2010 to South Africa and also the corruptions that took place for the bids of 2018 and 2022 world cups.
The 14 officials were charged based on the charges including racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy. The Swiss Federal Office of Justice said the officials were arrested pending extradition to the US on suspicion of receiving bribes totalling $100m.
The charged officals are Jeffrey Webb, Eugenio Figueredo, Jack Warner, Eduardo Li, Julio Rocha, Costas Takkas, Rafael Esquivel, José Maria Marin and Nicolás Leoz. Charges were also expected against the sports-marketing executives Alejandro Burzaco, Aaron Davidson, Hugo Jinkis and Mariano Jinkis. Authorities also charged José Margulies as an intermediary who facilitated illegal payments.
The current circumstances meant that they is every possibility of cancelling Qatar bid and the bidding process might re-open for all the nations again. However, 2018 world cup might just happen in Russia as they is not enough time to consider the bids and award them the World Cup despite the allegations about 2018 World Cup bid.