US senator to FIFA: Do not reward Russia with 2018 World Cup
Thu May 28, 2015 3:51AM
Sen. Robert Menendez (AFP Photo)
A US senator has called on FIFA not to allow Russia to host the 2018 World Cup following the corruption scandal in the soccer's world governing body.
“I applaud today’s actions and am especially pleased that Swiss and US authorities are investigating FIFA’s granting of the World Cup to Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022," Senator Robert Menendez said.
"I have long been concerned about FIFA’s selection of Russia and today’s announcement only underscores the need for FIFA to elect a president who will not only uphold FIFA’s values, but will ensure FIFA does not reward countries that do not uphold these values as well," he was quoted as saying by The Hill.
On Wednesday, police in Switzerland complied with a US request arrested nine top FIFA officials to investigate decades of alleged bribe-taking and backroom deals.
The US Justice Department brought an indictment against nine FIFA officials and five corporate executives on charges including racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering.
According to the indictment, $150 million were paid in "bribes and kickbacks" to obtain media and marketing rights to international tournaments.
FIFA officials were arrested in a five-star hotel in Zurich.
Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Ministry condemned the US for overstepping its legal authority by helping Swiss law enforcement on the case.
In an interview with TIME, Kirill Kabanov, who monitors corruption in Russia as a member of the Kremlin’s council on civil society, blasted Washington’s policies against Moscow.
“There are clearly forces in America that are trying to turn anything positive that we have into a new channel of confrontation,” Kabanov said on Wednesday.
“And even if there was bribery going on, why would the Americans only bring it up now, just after FIFA refused the demands of senators to revoke Russia’s right to host the champions?”
In a letter to the FIFA last month, 13 American senators asked FIFA President Sepp Blatter to take the next World Cup away from Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has been overseeing the preparations of the next World Cup that will be held in Russia in 2018.
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http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2015/05/28/413174/US-senator-FIFA-Russia-2018-World-Cup
