Ministry of Hajj issued over 150,000 Nusuk cards for the Hajj of 2025    Saudi Arabia deports 12,866 illegal residents in a week    SFDA clears first 44-ton medical shipment for Hajj pilgrims    Over 13 million worshipers pray at Rawdah Sharif in a year    Pope Francis laid to rest at historic funeral in Rome    Massive explosion at Iran's Shahid Rajaee Port injures over 500 people    Russia claims full control of Kursk region after ousting Ukrainian forces    Former US congressman George Santos sentenced to over 7 years for fraud and identity theft    Saudi orchestra to perform at Sydney Opera House in May    Al Hilal thrash Gwangju to reach AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Nammos Amala Resort to open soon with Saudi-Greek designs    Saudi Arabia completes 674 Vision 2030 initiatives, achieves 93% of KPIs as ninth-year milestone marked    GACA chief chairs 16th meeting of the Steering Committee on aviation's strategy    Alkhorayef praises advancements in Al-Kharj food industries sector    Saudi Theater Commission launches its Work and Learn Project in UK    The season has begun — and one comment shook us all    Saudi Arabia open to expanded 64-team World Cup in 2034, says sports minister    Jennifer Lopez dazzles in Jeddah with a Formula 1 performance    Average life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to78.8 years    Famed Philippine film star Nora Aunor dies at 71    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Garcia to quiz Blatter on Cup hosts
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 21 - 03 - 2014

ZURICH — Sepp Blatter and other FIFA officials involved in choosing Russia and Qatar as future World Cup hosts are being interviewed this week by ethics prosecutor Michael Garcia.
Garcia “is currently in Zurich and is also interviewing some of the FIFA executive members as part of his ongoing work,” FIFA said in a statement Thursday.
Blatter and 12 colleagues, including UEFA President Michel Platini and Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko, remain on FIFA's board from the December 2010 vote that handed the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the 2022 tournament to Qatar.
The bidding process was tarnished even before the vote by widespread allegations of rule-breaking by bidders and favor-seeking by the FIFA ruling committee. Two voters were suspended by FIFA following a cash-for-votes sting by British newspaper The Sunday Times.
Among 10 voters who left since left FIFA, Mohamed Bin Hammam of Qatar was banned for life by the governing body in 2012 for financial wrongdoing when leading the Asian Football Confederation.
Garcia's investigating team is focusing on FIFA board members after seeking interviews since last October with officials from the nine World Cup bid committees.
His work resumed this week as further suspicion was cast on Bin Hammam's role in the Qatari victory.
The Daily Telegraph in London reported it had evidence of a $2 million money trail from a construction company in Doha controlled by Bin Hammam to disgraced former FIFA vice president Jack Warner of Trinidad and Tobago. One note was dated Dec. 15, 2010.
The newspaper reported that the FBI is investigating links between Warner and Bin Hammam, who were FIFA board colleagues for 15 years.
The Qatari World Cup organizing committee has denied persistent allegations of wrongdoing connected to its bid, and distanced itself from Bin Hammam, describing him as a “private individual.” Garcia's law firm in New York has said his investigation should extend “at least several months into 2014.”
The former US Attorney will submit a report to the judging chamber of the FIFA Ethics Committee, led by Joachim Eckert of Germany, which will decide possible sanctions.
Blatter has insisted Russia and Qatar will host the World Cup regardless of the investigation's conclusions.
Russia defeated bids from England, Spain-Portugal and Belgium-Netherlands. Qatar beat the United States, Australia, Japan and South Korea. — AP


Clic here to read the story from its source.