FIFA Claiming "Tens of Millions" in Damages From Its Own Corruption
By Ty Duffy
FIFA has filed a claim for tens of millions in damages in U.S. court under the Mandatory Restitution Act. The organization is claiming it is victim of the executive corruption scandals which have “deeply tarnished its brand.”
"Identifying $190m in assets that have been forfeited by the 41 Fifa officials and marketing executives indicted over the past 12 months in the US and $100m in seizures relating to the defendants’ “felonious schemes”, sources close to the legal process said they were seeking restitution that would run into tens of millions of dollars."
The filing is also the first acknowledgement from FIFA there was corruption during the bidding process for the 1998 and 2010 World Cups.
Personally, we’d like to see the seized assets go to the true victims of FIFA’s corruption.
The Brazilian public spent billions constructing stadiums for 2014, with an estimated 30-40 percent of costs going to corruption. Six of the 12 built or renovated stadiums, still costing millions per year in upkeep, are not being used by a top-flight soccer team. One has found a primary use as a bus depot.
South Africa spent about $13,000 per additional tourist to hold the 2010 World Cup. One third of the cost (around $1.3 billion) went to stadium construction.
Whatever the true figure of migrant laborer deaths related to Qatar World Cup construction, it numbers in the thousands and counting.