Zimpapers Logo

The world governing body of football, Fifa, was plunged into an unprecedented crisis on the eve of its congress in Zurich after Swiss authorities arrested a string of officials and opened criminal proceedings over the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

More than a dozen plainclothed officers descended on the five-star Baur au Lac hotel on Wednesday, where officials had gathered for Fifa’s annual meeting.

The arrests were made on behalf of US authorities, after an FBI investigation that has been ongoing for at least three years. The New York Times, which first reported the early morning raid, said US authorities had charged 14 officials. Those arrested in Zurich face extradition to the US.

Hours later, Swiss federal prosecutors said they had opened a criminal proceedings in connection with the award of the 2018 World Cup to Qatar and the 2022 tournament to Russia. The decisions have been shrouded in claims of bribery and corruption ever since the vote in December 2010.

The Swiss authorities seized “electronic data and documents” in a raid on Fifa headquarters. Police will question 10 members of the Fifa executive committee members who took part in the votes. It was not immediately clear whether the Swiss and US investigations were connected.

The arrests on behalf of the US authorities form part of an international investigation into bribes worth $100m (£65m) spanning three decades. The allegations date back to the 1990s and involve “the acceptance of bribes and kickbacks”, Swiss officials said.

Fifa vice-president Jeffrey Webb, of the Cayman Islands, was among those arrested, it is believed. He is the head of Fifa’s north American regional body, known as Concacaf, which reported itself to US tax authorities in 2012.

The organisation had not paid taxes for several years when its president was Jack Warner and Chuck Blazer was secretary general.

As well as Webb, the New York Times said the officials charged were Eugenio Figueredo, Jack Warner, Eduardo Li, Julio Rocha, Costas Takkas, Rafael Esquivel, José Maria Marin and Nicolás Leoz. The Guardian understands as many as 15 people worldwide might have been arrested as part of the operation.

The arrests came two days before Fifa president Sepp Blatter had expected to be re-elected for a fifth term. On Wednesday morning, Blatter – who was not among those arrested – was said to be actively lobbying to have Friday’s election postponed.

Blatter has been closely entwined with many of those charged in the US during his 40 years at Fifa, including the Paraguayan Leoz and the Trinidadian Warner. Webb and Figuero are current Fifa vice presidents.

Last year it emerged that Blazer, who was forced to resign after being accused of financial irregularities, had been helping the FBI with its long-running inquiry.

Blazer wore a wiretap at the London 2012 Olympics and, although seriously ill, has been continuing to help the FBI with its investigation.

The raids in Zurich are believed to have begun shortly before 6am, when six Fifa officals were led from the Bauer au Lac hotel to unmarked cars with sheets over their heads.

The New York Times reported that the charges include wire fraud, racketeering and money laundering. The US attorney general, Loretta Lynch, is due to hold a news conference later on Wednesday, the paper said.

The Swiss FOJ said: “The US attorney’s office for the eastern district of New York is investigating these individuals on suspicion of the acceptance of bribes and kickbacks between the early 1990s and the present day.

“The bribery suspects – representatives of sports media and sports promotion firms – are alleged to have been involved in schemes to make payments to the soccer functionaries – delegates of Fifa (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) and other functionaries of Fifa sub-organisations – totalling more than $100m.

“In return, it is believed that they received media, marketing, and sponsorship rights in connection with soccer tournaments in Latin America. According to the US request, these crimes were agreed and prepared in the US, and payments were carried out via US banks.”

Pressure is now bound to build on Blatter to postpone Friday’s election, where he is standing against the Jordanian royal Prince Ali Bin al Hussein.

“Today is a sad day for football,” said Prince Ali on Wednesday morning. “Clearly this is a developing story, the details of which are still emerging. It would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.”

The mounting sense of crisis in Zurich has echoes of four years ago when Blatter was re-elected unopposed following the withdrawal of his Qatari rival Mohamed Bin Hammam in the midst of bribery claims that again centred on Concacaf members. Then he sailed on, asking: “Crisis? What is a crisis?”.

The difference this time is that Swiss prosecutors have co-operated with US law enforcement to extradite Fifa officials gathered for the most high profile meeting in its calendar.

Zurich cantonal police arrived at the Baur au Lac hotel, where senior Fifa executives habitually gather on their all-expenses paid jaunts to Zurich for committee meetings, at about 6am on Wednesday. They stopped at the reception to get the room numbers for the officials they intended to arrest. The men were not handcuffed as they were led away from the hotel. “Very peaceful,” tweeted NYT reporter Michael Schmidt. “Hotel staff meanwhile is freaking out.”

Photographs showed officers hiding the suspects behind sheets as they escorted them to unmarked cars. One, Eduardo Li of Costa Rica, was allowed to bring his luggage as he left through a side door, the NYTreported. Reporters were shooed away shortly after arrests began.

The last time international media attention was focused on the Baur au Lac was four years ago, when US and British World Cup bids were rejected in favour of Russia and Qatar. Suspicions of vote-buying and wrongdoing in those bidding contests have dogged Fifa ever since.

The charges stem from a joint investigation by the FBI and US tax authorities that has been ongoing since at least 2011, according to the New York Daily News website. US law gives prosecutors broad powers to arrest foreign nationals living abroad on charges with the slightest domestic connection, like the use of US banks.

Swiss officials said the suspects’ deportation could be sanctioned immediately. – online