Story highlights
- FIFA compliance chief says Russia could lose 2018 World Cup, Qatar 2022 Cup, if evidence of bribery is found
- Trinidad politician calls on former FIFA executive, countryman Jack Warner to travel to the United States for trial
- Warner is one of 14 people accused of corruption related to soccer's international governing body
(CNN)Russia and Qatar could lose the right to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cup events if evidence is presented that bribes bought the votes to award their bids.
In an interview with a Swiss publication, the Sonntagszeitung weekly, FIFA compliance chief Domenico Scala said, "should evidence be present that the awarding to Qatar and Russia only came about with bought votes, then the awarding could be void."
Whispers of foul play heard after December 1, when FIFA chose Russia and Qatar to host soccer's most prominent global competition, are bandied about more openly now that FIFA is embroiled in a massive scandal, which involves allegations that bribery helped determine the hosts of earlier World Cups. The United States has indicted 14 people, including nine top FIFA officials, on corruption charges.
Former officials add fuel to FIFA scandal 03:22
FIFA had portrayed the ongoing investigation as a progressive step for the world soccer body. Russia, the world's largest country, and Qatar, a small Middle Eastern nation, would be new frontiers for the world's favorite tournament.
The CEO of Russia World Cup 2018 told CNN's Matthew Chance last week that Russia plans to continue to prepare to organize the event. Alexesy Sorokin said that Russia's bid was transparent.
"It was clean," he said. "It didn't transgress any FIFA practices, any practices applicable to the bidding process. What else can we say?"
And Qatar's Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy released a statement last week, saying, "The recent events at FIFA will not impact on our preparations for the 2022 FIFA World Cup."
Former FIFA Exec: 'High possibility' Blatter involved 04:39
American Chuck Blazer, a former FIFA executive committee member and key member in the U.S. investigation into the governing body, admitted that he and other high-ranking officials took bribes ahead of the 1998 and 2010 World Cups, according to court records.
Trinidad's justice and legal affairs minister is calling on the lone indicted FIFA official from his country to go to New York to face trial in the scandal that's struck the soccer world like a dirty slide tackle.
"Trinidad and Tobago is not Jack Warner," Minister Prakash Ramadhar of the Caribbean nation said Sunday. "It really is about restoring a sense of decency to the politics of Trinidad and Tobago. And we made a call to Mr. Warner to save us all from the infamy that he has brought upon us to go hastily to America and have his trial. And if he has truth to bring, let it be so, so that we can put this behind us and learn from the errors of the past, and move on to ensure we do not repeat them in the future.
The hunt for FIFA's Jack Warner 02:41
Warner is the former vice president of soccer's international governing body. He and his 13 fellow defendants have been charged by the U.S. Justice Department with a total of 47 counts of racketeering, wire fraud, money laundering, bribery, and other offenses. Interpol notified member nations on Wednesday that arrest warrants have been issued for Warner and five of the other indicted officials.
Ramadhar, a long-time political adversary of Warner's in Trinidad and Tobago, said Warner is inviting ridicule of the their homeland, and questioned why Warner won't go directly to New York to face charges.
"I am a lawyer and I know the innocent rush to an early trial," Ramadhar said.
Since U.S. prosecutors handed down the indictment on May 26, Warner has threatened to expose the inner workings of FIFA and its president Sepp Blatter, who was recently re-elected to a fifth term but just days later announced he would step down.
On Wednesday, Warner released a paid political TV ad, titled "Jack Warner: The Gloves are Off," in which he said he had prepared a comprehensive series of documents on FIFA's transactions, including checks and corroborated statements.
In the TV ad, aired in his native Trinidad and Tobago on Wednesday, Warner said he would "no longer keep secrets for those persons who now seek actively to destroy this country's hard-won international image."
He also said, "I reasonably and surely fear for my life." He did not elaborate.
Warner, head of Trinidad and Tobago's Independent Liberal Party, has denied all the charges against him, and said in a statement that he had not been interviewed by authorities and "the actions of FIFA no longer concern me."
The indictment accuses Warner of taking a $10 million bribe to vote for South Africa to host the 2010 World Cup, saying South Africa was willing to pay $10 million to the Caribbean Football Union "to support the African diaspora" in exchange for Warner's and two other conspirators' votes to put the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, instead of Morocco. The South African bid committee has denied any impropriety in the payment.
The Sunday Times of London reports that secret tapes exposing the rigged voting process for the 2010 Cup were suppressed by FIFA and Blatter, until their release last week.
The BBC reported Sunday that documents show three wire transfers totaling $10 million from FIFA to CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football) accounts controlled by Warner from the winter of 2008. Then, the documents suggest, Warner used that money for cash withdrawals, personal loans, and to launder money, the BBC reported.
There was no immediate response from Warner to those reports in British media.
In all, prosecutors allege FIFA officials took more than $150 million in bribes to provide "lucrative media and marketing rights" to soccer tournaments.
Photos: Who might replace Sepp Blatter?
Jordan's Prince Ali bin al-Hussein – The 39-year-old son of the late King Hussein of Jordan has been a FIFA vice president since 2011, representing Asia. He is the president of the West Asia Football federation. In the first ballot in the recent FIFA presidential election, he only received 73 votes, and most of those likely came from European associations, after his candidacy was put forward by England. Prince Ali told CNN's Christiane Amanpour Tuesday that he's "at the disposal" of those who want change.
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Photos: Who might replace Sepp Blatter?
"Zico" -- Arthur Antunes Coimbra – Former Brazilian footballer Arthur Antunes Coimbra -- better known as "Zico" -- is regarded as one of the finest players in his country's history. Now he's announced he will apply for the FIFA presidency, explaining to reporters, "It's sad for our sport to see what is happening in football today... I see it as my duty to use my experience and knowledge to try and stand for the presidency."
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Photos: Who might replace Sepp Blatter?
Michel Platini – The former French great was once an ally of Blatter, but in recent years had opposed the president on many issues. Platini, who turns 60 this month, has been the head of UEFA since 2007 and is a FIFA vice president. He was one of the all-time best players, having three times won European player of the year. Just a few years ago he appeared to be Blatter's successor -- until the president announced he would run again.
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Photos: Who might replace Sepp Blatter?
Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad al-Sabah – The 51-year-old member of the Kuwaiti royal family is a member of the FIFA executive committee and a prominent figure in the Olympic movement. He is president of the Association of National Olympic Committees, which oversees the hundreds of national Olympic committees. Al-Sabah has been a member of the International Olympic Committee since 1992. He is a Blatter supporter, and if he ran, could draw votes from other backers of the outgoing president.
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Photos: Who might replace Sepp Blatter?
Michael van Praag – A key figure at UEFA and a member of the federation's executive committee. He runs the national association of the Netherlands and was a candidate earlier this year for FIFA president. He withdrew a week before the election and supported al-Hussein. Van Praag, 67, reportedly is a supporter of a two-term limit for the office.
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Photos: Who might replace Sepp Blatter?
Issa Hayatou – He has been on the FIFA executive committee for 25 years and is the organization's senior vice president. The former top official for Cameroonian soccer, he has been the president of Africa's confederation since 1988. The 68-year old has twice been publicly accused of taking bribes in connection with soccer events, according to media reports. He denied the allegations and was never charged. He ran for FIFA president in 2002 but lost by a large margin.
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Photos: Who might replace Sepp Blatter?
Jerome Champagne – Another recent candidate for the office. He dropped out of the race in February when he couldn't get the support of the five national associations necessary to be on the ballot. The former diplomat was one of Blatter's chief advisers from 1999 to 2010 when he was director of international relations for FIFA. During his time there, Champagne worked closely with Blatter, tasked with overseeing improvements in relations with national associations and other international sporting bodies including the International Olympic Committee. He was let go for reasons never fully explained.
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Photos: Who might replace Sepp Blatter?
David Ginola – His prior candidacy was considered a publicity stunt -- one which lasted just weeks -- by much of the media and soccer public. The Frenchman's bid was backed by Irish bookmaker Paddy Power, who has a self-confessed penchant for mischief, and Ginola reportedly was being paid £250,000 ($375,000) for his involvement. Several outlets, including the BBC, reported Tuesday night he would run again in the special election. The former player, 48, was voted player of the year in his home country's league and in England's Premier League.
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Photos: Who might replace Sepp Blatter?
Luis Figo – Former Portugal captain Luis Figo pulled out of the running for FIFA president before last week's vote. He hasn't yet said whether he'll re-enter the race now that the FIFA stalwart is stepping aside. After Tuesday's announcement Figo said, "Change is finally coming. Now we should, responsibly and calmly, find a consensual solution worldwide in order to start new era of dynamism, transparency and democracy in FIFA."
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