By Andrew Warshaw
June 2 – The corruption scandal that enveloped last week’s FIFA presidential election and has plunged world football’s governing body into its worst ever crisis deepened overnight with reported allegations in the United States that FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke (pictured) was the man behind a $10 million bank transfer that is central to the investigation being carried out by US authorities.
By Paul Nicholson
June 2 – Back stage the confederation was in turmoil with employees only just having been allowed back into their Miami offices, news of bans of their top officials, and rumours that in the Cayman Islands employees had been relieved of their phones and laptops; front stage CONCACAF conducted the draw for the group stages of the 2015/16 Champions League. If it wasn’t quite business as usual, it was a welcome relief from the dark politics of corruption that have returned to consume the regional body.
June 1 – The Indonesian government has reacted disdainfully to FIFA’s decision to throw the country out of world football saying the move should not be “mourned excessively”.
By Andrew Warshaw
June 1 – Swiss officials have not ruled out questioning FIFA president Sepp Blatter as part of their inquiry into possible breaking of Swiss laws leading up to the 2018 and 2022 World Cup ballot five years ago.
By David Owen in Zurich
June 1 – Danny Jordaan, the President of the South African Football Association (SAFA) and former chief executive of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, has confirmed that a $10 million payment referred to in this week’s United States Department of Justice (DoJ) indictment was indeed made, according to a South African media report.
By Paul Nicholson
June 1 – “If you are elected and don’t come to the first meeting that’s not taking responsibility.” And with these words Sepp Blatter abruptly ended the press conference following FIFA’s first executive committee after his dramatic election to a fifth term as FIFA president. Blatter exited the auditorium chased Keystone Kops-style by the media with the English press and their cameramen in the vanguard.
By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
May 30 – A new twist emerged today over Sepp Blatter’s FIFA presidential victory when Michel Platini’s native France admitted it went against his wish for Europe to get behind vanquished challenger Prince Ali bin al-Hussein.
By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
May 29 – Sepp Blatter clinched victory over Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan today, moving into a fifth four-year term of office at the age of 79 but not quite with the two-thirds majority many had predicted. In dramatic scenes Prince Ali announced his withdrawal from the contest. He received a standing ovation as he left the platform while Blatter was cheered as he once again took centre stage
By Andrew Warshaw and Paul Nicholson in Zurich
May 29 – Sepp Blatter used the most important presidential address of his 17-year reign today by suggesting the brutal scrutiny he and his organisation have come under would not have occurred had Russia and Qatar had not been chosen to stage the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
May 29 – Sepp Blatter looked poised to win a fifth term as FIFA president today – but perhaps not with the landslide victory many have predicted.
By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
May 28 – Britain’s incoming FIFA vice-president David Gill will refuse to take up his new position if Sepp Blatter is re-elected FIFA president on Friday in the latest startling development to envelop world football’s governing body.
By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
May 28 – A defiant Sepp Blatter opened arguably the most tension-filled congress of his 17 years in charge of FIFA with a rallying cry clearly designed to sway any wavering voters his way after a tumultuous 48 hours in the history or world football’s governing body.
By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
May 28 – In the face of the worst crisis to hit FIFA under his leadership, Sepp Blatter called a meeting of his emergency committee today and came face to face with his nemesis, UEFA boss Michel Platini.
By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
May 28 – Western-led calls for Sepp Blatter to resign as FIFA president in the wake of the gravest corruption crisis to hit his organisation were described today as “blasphemy” by one of Africa’s federation presidents who said his continent was more firmly behind the veteran Swiss than ever.
By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
May 28 – Visa has issued the most critical statement yet from any major World Cup sponsor in response to the spate of arrests of past and present FIFA officials on racketeering and bribery charges that have made worldwide headlines.