FIFA scandal 2015 – when the handcuffs clicked

Ten years ago, the handcuffs clicked at FIFA, several officials were arrested in a Swiss luxury hotel. May 27, 2015 had far -reaching consequences in world football – but there is little left of the promise of a “new FIFA”.

In Zurich everything was prepared for the FIFA congress. The delegates of 209 national associations worldwide had traveled to Switzerland, many of them resided in the luxury hotel “Baur Au Lac” in Zurich. The officials of the associations usually meet in the days before the congress to have conversations, negotiate business or to initiate good life.

So also on May 27, 2015, two days before the congress. The Zurich five-star hotel was for seven high representatives of the Football People’s Sports, but the place of their arrest in the early morning. The hotel provided at least an important service: with white bed sheets, the staff protected the detained FIFA makers in front of the cameras. The arrests were carried out in the context of extensive investigations by the US Justice Ministry for bribery, money laundering and fraud.

System of Braie payments In the FIFA

During this time there were always reports, information and evidence of corruption in the World Cinging Association. Money flowed to the officials, for example, for the sale of valuable media rights at the men’s football championship. There was another inflow of bribes for votes in the FIFA Executive Committee in the awarding of World Cup tournaments. In several world championships by 2022, corruption has been proven or is at least in the room. The award of the 2006 World Cup in Germany is still suspected of having come about by buying voices. However, this was not finally clarified in several legal proceedings.

Many officials at FIFA benefited from this system of bribes. At least for some of them, this had consequences in May 2015.

Investigations in the USA and Switzerland as an occasion

At that time, the US’s Attorney General had initiated investigations against officials from the confederations comparable to the UEFA (Concacaf) and South America (Conmebol) and against numerous business people from the sports marketing industry, using the so-called RICO law (RACKETER influenced and corrupt organizations Act)-a law that was originally developed to combat the mafia And here was applied to a presumably comparable corruption network in world football. It was all about corruption in the allocation of transmission rights.

Among the arrested were dazzling personalities of the FIFA system: Jose Maria Marin, former president of the Brazilian association and Jeffrey Webb, Vice President of the FIFA and President of Concacaf. The former president of Conmebol were also arrested in Zurich, plus other bosses of national associations from North and South America.

In May 2015, the arrests were largely due to the cooperation of Chuck Blazer. The former general secretary of Concacaf and long-time FIFA official was targeted by US authorities in 2011 for tax evasion. In order to avoid a potential prison sentence of up to 75 years, Blazer agreed to work with the FBI and the US Justice Ministry.

The Swiss Federal Prosecutor’s Office also started investigations before the arrests, with regard to the awarding of the World Cup tournaments in 2018 to Russia and in 2022 to Qatar. For example, while Concacaf boss Jeffrey Webb or Costa Ricas Association President Eduardo Li were sentenced as some accused, many procedures were unsuccessful in Switzerland for various reasons. In a process of the possible bribery payments in the awarding of the 2006 World Cup, the former DFB general secretary Horst R. Schmidt as well as the two former DFB presidents Theo Zwanziger and Wolfgang Niersbach as well as ex-FIFA general secretary Urs Linsi were accused due to fraud or aid. The procedure was exposed to a long time during the Coronavirus pandemic and had to be discontinued due to limitation.

President Blatter: First re -election, then resignation

The most prominent figure of FIFA during this time was President Joseph S. Blatter. Just two days after the arrests, he was confirmed at the congress with a clear majority for a fifth term as a FIFA president in office. On June 2, 2015, just four days later, Blatter surprisingly announced his resignation, in view of the growing international pressure and the extensive investigation, the attempt to maintain power had failed.

In 2011, Blatter said in a legendary press conference in reference to investigations against FIFA officials: “Crisis? What is a crisis? We are not in any crisis. We are only in difficulties and they are solved.” It turned out differently, even for Blatter itself.

In investigations by the Swiss judiciary, a payment of two million Swiss francs came to light, which Blatter had instructed to the then UEFA President Michel Platini in 2011 – a consultant fee, the two argued. The FIFA Ethics Committee blocked both. Blatter and Platini were later accused of fraud and infidelity. It was not until 2025 that a Swiss court released the duo of the allegations. In the end, the beneficiary was General Secretary at UEFA: Gianni Infantino.

“New FIFA” as a promise, but many reforms have long been processed

Infantino took over the FIFA in 2016. Reforms were promised and first implemented. The President should have less power, less posts to favor officials and the World Cup are awarded in a transparent procedure in the congress in which double awarding are prohibited.

The reality: Infantinos FIFA reversed many changes in the statutes, also with the consent of the DFB. Infantino is now the sole strong man who makes the decisions. According to the reforms, the general secretary should take over the day -to -day business, he is now assumed to the president, who can now distribute seven committees in 35 instead of reforms. The World Cup was recently only awarded by acclamation in the FIFA Congress-in fact, the decision was made in the FIFA Council.