Lisle Austin, suspended as acting president of Concacaf, has asked FIFA to intervene in the ongoing battle between him and general secretary Chuck Blazer, backed by the Concacaf executive committee, for control of the regional confederation that governs among other things the Gold Cup. Austin’s requestcomes despite FIFA’s move to extend Austin’s suspension worldwide. “The […]
fifa
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
The 2022 train may have left the station
[FIFA IN CRISIS] Just what are the chances of a re-vote on the 2022 World Cup? Only two weeks ago, FIFA President SeppBlatter couldn’t rule out Qatar being stripped of its award of the 2022 World Cup. Last week German soccer federation president Theo Zwanziger said anexamination into bribery charges against Qatar must be undertaken. […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Mess is 'too good to be true'
[FIFA IN CRISIS] The FIFA mess reminds me of aide Norman Wilson’s reaction when Mayor Tommy Carcetti is told the truth of the “homeless killer” toward the endof Season 5 of the HBO classic series “The Wire.” “I wish I was still at the newspaper,” Wilson laughs, “so I could write on this mess. It’s […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Concacaf civil war continues
Day 2 of the Concacaf civil war saw interim president Lisle Austin say again general secretary Chuck Blazer wasfired, after Concacaf sent out a statement Tuesday that Austin didn’t have the authority to fire him. Austin shot back that the statement via the Concacaf office in New York was notofficial. “The former general secretary was […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Germany federation chief wants Qatar 2022 investigation
German soccer federation president Theo Zwanziger, who will shortly replace Franz Beckenbauer on the FIFA executivecommittee, became the most prominent official yet to call for a re-examination of the award of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar over bribery allegations. “I think there is a significant degreeof suspicion that one cannot just dismiss,” Zwanziger told […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Rogues' gallery of confederation presidents
[FIFA IN CRISIS] Assume for a moment — let’s dream — FIFA cleans up its act and adopts a new governance structure that rids it of the conflicts that plagueit, there is still the matter of cleaning up its six confederations. Three confederation presidents have been suspended in the last six months on corruption charges, […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Sponsors ring alarm bells
[FIFA IN CRISIS] It is said the only ones who can force scandal-ridden FIFA to make meaningful reforms are its sponsors, and they have spoken with increasinglyalarm about the recent events. “We have shared our concerns with FIFA, and it is our expectation that FIFA will address and resolve this situation in an expedient manner, […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Concacaf: Austin has no authority to fire Blazer
[FIFA IN CRISIS] According statement issued late Tuesday afternoon by Concacaf, Barbadian Lisle Austin, appointedinterim president of Concacaf on Monday in place of the suspended Jack Warner, had no authority to attempt to fire Concacaf general secretary Chuck Blazer.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Concacaf officials at loggerheads
Jack Warner, suspended Sunday from all soccer activities pending a full investigation into the bribery charges leveled against Mohamed bin Hammam and him, said Caribbean soccer federations should back FIFA President Sepp Blatter in his presidential bid and not boycott theelection. Warner’s statement landed him in hot water with Concacaf General Secretary Chuck Blazer, who […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They're Saying
“Of course, it was difficult. But what is more difficult is to ignore the fact that attempts were made to suborn members — it really wasn’t a choice. I said to Jack: ‘What areyou doing? In 21 years, we have never bought a vote.’ Once you have done that you have let the genie out […]