FIFA has announced that Chuck Blazer has been banned for life from all football activities.
This is not really a surprise. Blazer was indicted and since a plea bargain; he has been helping officials for the last four years in the USA with their investigation into suspected fraud in FIFA. There is also an ongoing investigation by the Swiss Judicial Authorities into FIFA.
What is surprising is how long it has taken FIFA to react before banning Blazer. One should not forget that there are several other members of FIFA who have been indicted in the USA. Did the 350 page Garcia Report not raise any suspicions about the activities of these people ? The Eckert summary of that report clearly absolved everyone in FIFA from any wrongdoings.
Should FIFA not "suspend teporarily" any officer who is indicted for a serious criminal offence ? FIFA Statutes should be changed to permit this. If later it is then proved that he is not guilty, he could be reinstated.
In this way, FIFA would give the impression that it is serious in trying to prevent fraude ! At the moment reports suggest that fraudulent activities did not just start recently with the nomination of Russia and Qatar as hosts. It seems fraud was rife in FIFA well before then.
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