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Showing posts from June, 2015

FIFA Scandal: An American invasion of sovereign soccer territory

FIFA's President: Sepp Blatter; Credit: nextimpulsesports.com Hardly anyone who follows soccer would doubt the world’s soccer organising body is corrupt. The corruption is systemic and deeply entrenched that it will take more than rounding up few officials of FIFA to clean up the big mess within the organisation. America’s FBI and Department of Justice swung into action by making arrest of FIFA officials in Switzerland on the eve of FIFA’s congress. Fourteen officials were indicted, two of them American citizens. The FBI claimed their offences range from bribery, kickbacks, racketeering to other forms of underhand deals worth US$150 million. The investigation covered offences which were committed over two decades.  Much as probing criminal conducts of FIFA officials is commendable, it however raises serious question as regards the use of American powers beyond its jurisdiction. FIFA is an international organisation domiciled in Zurich, Switzerland. Hence, probing such orga