“We all hear stories about crazy uncles at the Thanksgiving table or the Christmas table. There can be a lot of unwanted influences, no matter how conscientious a jury may be.” — Bruce Udolf, attorney for former Peruvian soccer federation president Manuel Burga, arguing that the guilty verdicts against Jose Maria Marin, the former president […]
fifa scandals
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Two soccer officials found guilty in FIFA corruption trial
More than two and a half years after the first arrests, two verdicts in the first trial in the FIFA corruption case came down on Friday. Jose Maria Marin, the former president ofthe Brazilian soccer federation, and Paraguayan Juan Angel Napout, the former Conmebol president, were found guilty on various conspiracy charges in the case […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They're Saying: Romario
“No one has fought so vigorously against that gang than me, and so I am a legitimate candidate. I have the qualifications for the job. My credentials are my whole contribution to soccer, on and offthe field.” — Former Brazilian star Romario, now a member of the Brazilian senate, on running for president of the […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
Latest from the FIFA corruption trial
“Business is going very well! We will have $100 million of profit, from the U.S. only!” — Argentine sports marketing executive Mariano Jinkis elatedly tellinghis partners at Miami Beach’s St. Regis Bal Harbour — but not knowing he was being wiretapped — about the money they’d make on the 2016 Copa Centenario, citing television rights […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
Latest from the FIFA corruption trial
“We all can get hurt because of this subject, it could come from the money-laundering agency of Buenos Aires to investigate, to name one, or Brazil or the DEA. All of us go to prison.” — The self-fulfilling prophecy of Alejandro Burzaco, owner of Torneos y Competencias, caught on a wire worn by Traffic founder […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
Latest from the FIFA corruption trial
“Even though we were not involved, the negative implications could affect negatively upon U.S. soccer and would reflect poorly on the sport. We had meetings on how to proceed or not proceed withCopa Centenario.” — U.S. Soccer chief commercial officer Jay Berhalter, testifying in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn during the FIFA corruption trial on Friday […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
Latest from the FIFA corruption trial
“He may take it as good news.” — Sam Nitze, the lead prosecutor in the Federal prosecution of three former South American soccer officials accused of corruption, joking afterdefense attorneys moved to strike a juror who had spent the majority of the trial, now in its third week, asleep in his chair. (@kenbensinger via Twitter)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They're Saying: Patrick Nally
“They need to get bright thinkers to repackage the whole thing. There’s just too much baggage to carry. It’s just an absolute mass of information about corruption wherever you look.The word FIFA globally has got just the worst image in the world: If you are trying to sell the FIFA brand, if anything those four […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
Latest from the FIFA corruption trial
“We basically decided to make up fantasy names for each of the people involved.” — Santiago Pena, who worked for Full Play, a company based in Argentina that held marketing rightsto South American soccer competitions, testifying in the FIFA corruption trial in Brooklyn about the names he used on Excel spreadsheets — “Fiat,” “Honda,” “Benz,” […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They're Saying: Humberto Grondona
“I think that in South America he can’t walk. He will stay in New York. But he shouldn’t be able to return here. Somebody won’t like that he comes back.” — HumbertoGrondona, son of the late Julio Grondona, the former Argentina soccer federation and FIFA senior vice president, on Alejandro Burzaco, the star witness in […]