Uruguay Furious
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Sports FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015 Swiss authorities examine FIFA grants in soccer probe LONDON: Swiss authorities are examining development grants made by FIFA around the world as part of their investigation into the sport’s global governing body and its award of World Cup hosting rights for Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022, a source familiar with the probe said. In particular, the investigators are looking at how the money was spent and whether there is any falsification of documents, said the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The grants mainly go to national soccer associations and are often earmarked for new soccer pitches and related facilities, or for training programs. The Swiss investigation is running alongside and in cooperation with a US probe that led to the criminal indictment on May 27 of nine current and former FIFA officials and five executives in sports marketing and broadcasting on bribery, money laundering and wire fraud charges. Information technology specialists from Switzerland’s federal police agency, as well as prosecutors and financial experts, are poring over masses of evidence collected by the office of Switzerland’s Attorney General, the source said. The evidence includes voluminous internal records, most in digi- tized form, seized from the offices of FIFA’s President Sepp Blatter, Secretary General Jerome Valcke and finance and administrative chief Markus Kattner. The source said “almost everything” in Valcke’s office had been seized. Blatter, who announced earlier this month that he was stepping down after 17 years as FIFA president, Valcke and Kattner have not been accused of wrongdoing by the Swiss and US authorities. A FIFA spokeswoman said in an email response to questions from SANTIAGO: Uruguay’s forward Jonathan Rodriguez (left) vies for the ball with Chile’s defender Gary Medel during Reuters that it “is cooperating fully in the actions by the Swiss authori- their 2015 Copa America football championship quarterfinal match, in Santiago on June 24, 2015.—AFP ties.” It made no further comment. Billions of dollars Uruguay furious; Chile Between 1999-2014, FIFA spent $2 billion on development grants and has committed to spend another $900 million between 2015-2018, with much of the money going to regional federations and national soccer groups around the world. Often tiny island territories in the advance in Copa battle Pacific and the Caribbean have received more money under some pro- grams than the biggest soccer playing countries, such as Germany and England. This has led to allegations from some soccer officials that SANTIAGO: Chile sent nine-man Uruguay crashing out of the were left with 10 men it became a little more difficult because it Blatter had supported these soccer minnows so that they would be Copa America on Wednesday, winning a bruising quarter-final 1- limited our opportunities to attack,” said Tabarez. more likely to support him. Under FIFA’s system for electing the presi- 0 as controversy over lurid provocation tactics rocked the tour- It was a miserable end to the tournament for Cavani, who had dent, a territory such as the Cook Islands, with a population of just over nament. An 81st-minute strike from Juventus defender Mauricio been booked in the first half for aggressively confronting a lines- 10,000 has the same single vote as a soccer-mad nation like Brazil with Isla settled a pulsating encounter at Santiago’s Estadio Nacional man after a tackle involving Chile midfielder Arturo Vidal. On more than 200 million people. as holders Uruguay saw striker Edinson Cavani and defender Monday, Cavani’s father was arrested in Uruguay after his Swiss Attorney General Michael Lauber announced in late May that Jorge Fucile sent off. Fucile’s dismissal for a second yellow card involvement in a fatal traffic accident which left a 19-year-old his office was conducting an investigation into whether there was cor- in the closing minutes triggered a mass confrontation involving motorcyclist dead. Uruguay reacted to Cavani’s dismissal ruption in FIFA’s awarding of the 2018 World Cup rights to Moscow and players and officials from both sides, with even Uruguay’s veter- doggedly, and had appeared to be on their way to taking the the 2022 competition to Qatar. In particular, he is looking at whether an coach Oscar Tabarez coming onto the pitch. game to a penalty shoot-out with a superb defensive perform- there was money laundering and disloyal management, which under But the post-match commotion focused around the dismissal ance led by center-half Diego Godin. Swiss law is a criminal offence. It is based on whether a manager vio- of Cavani, who flicked a hand into the face of Chile defender But as the match entered the final 10 minutes, Chile pounced lates his or her duties or causes or permits damage to an entity’s assets. Gonzalo Jara after a clash midway through the second half. on Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera’s failure to clear a Both Russia and Qatar have vehemently denied there was anything Camera footage of the moments leading up to the flashpoint, cross. Chile playmaker Jorge Valdivia slipped a pass to Isla, who irregular in their selection in the face of competition from rival bidders however, appeared to show Jara attempting to insert his finger drilled in a low finish to spark wild celebrations. It got worse for such as England and the United States. Swiss investigators have multi- into Cavani’s anus, prompting the Uruguay player’s reaction. Uruguay a few minutes from time when Fucile clattered into ple lines of inquiry to pursue in connection with the Qatar 2022 award. Tabarez later defended the actions of the Paris Saint-Germain Chile star Alexis Sanchez. Uruguay protested that Fucile had However, evidence related to the 2018 Moscow World Cup award is striker, arguing he had been provoked. “For the expulsion of played the ball but there was no denying that his trailing leg fol- proving difficult to find, the source said. FIFA disclosed in November Cavani, you can see what happened and what the challenge lowed through on the Arsenal man. that the Russian computers used in the nation’s successful bid had was. I refer you to the television and photos of it, it is all there,” Play was interrupted for several minutes as Uruguay’s players been destroyed and it was therefore very difficult to track down docu- said Tabarez as images of Jara’s actions swiftly went viral on and officials protested but the red card stood. Sanchez later ments. social media. “I can see that the referee has not seen it, but the revealed one unnamed Uruguayan player had said sorry to him In the indictment of the 14 officials and executives, US federal pros- linesman had to be able to see it from his position.” for the rough treatment he had been given during a bruising ecutors highlighted an allegedly questionable $10 million payment by encounter. “They like to fight, argue, go forward all out; one FIFA, at the request of South African soccer officials, to a Caribbean soc- Lurid history player told me in the first half ‘Move you wimp’-but then later he cer body in Trinidad and Tobago led by former FIFA vice-president Jack It is not the first time Jara has been involved in controversy said to me: ‘I am sorry’,” Sanchez said, without identifying the Warner. US prosecutors asserted that Warner had solicited the money involving a Uruguayan opponent. In 2013, Luis Suarez punched opponent in question. “He said to me, ‘That’ll do, I kicked the shit as bribes. South African officials are not cooperating with Swiss investi- the defender after the Chilean reportedly grabbed the Uruguay out of you’. And I said, ‘Alright but you could have caused an gators, the source said. The South African Football Association did not striker’s genitals during a World Cup qualifier.Tabarez said the injury and that’s not what football’s about,’” Sanchez said. Chile respond to a request for comment. Swiss authorities did not officially dismissal of Cavani, when the match was at 0-0, turned the tide will now play the winner of quarter-final between Bolivia and open their investigation into how FIFA awarded the 2018 and 2022 against his team. “We had the game under control but when we Peru in the last four. —AFP World Cups until March. —Reuters Pirlo ready for a bite of Big Apple MILAN: Andrea Pirlo’s move to Major League Cup winner will leave Italy behind and end his Milan in 2003 and 2007. Gazzetta’s report said Conference clash on July 12. In an interview on Soccer is imminent, according to reports in Italy career in the United States. Pirlo, whose contract Pirlo will sign an 18-month contract in August Thursday with Gazzetta, Giovinco insisted the that claim the Juventus and Italy star will sign an expires in June 2016, was distraught at the final with Jason Kreis’s side after deciding whether to MLS was “not as easy as many people might 18-month deal with New York City FC. Midfield whistle of last month’s Champions League final include a clause that would allow him to opt out think” and admitted Pirlo had enquired about legend Pirlo was a linchpin for the Turin giants when Juventus were beaten 3-1 by Barcelona. of another year, if he desired. Former Juventus his experience with the Canadian side. “I talked on their way to a first league and Cup double in That may have represented Pirlo’s last chance to teammate Sebastian Giovinco quit the to him via message, but not from New York.