In a week with two Galaxy games, the biggest news for soccer fans in LA — and anywhere, really — is out of Switzerland. The New York Times reports that plain-clothed Swiss law enforcement have arrested a number of high-ranking FIFA officials on corruption charges, intending to extradite them to the US.
The arrests come after much controversy over the 2022 World Cup bidding process, which resulted in Qatar securing the games despite what many saw as a strong US bid. Along with accusations of corruption, Qatar has been mired in outrage over the rising death toll of migrant workers — likely more than one a day — building stadiums for 2022.
The arrests come just days before the likely re-election of current FIFA president Sepp Blatter, despite charges of corruption that have dogged his presidency for years.
Michael Schmidt, reporter for the New York Times, has been live-tweeting from the hotel in Switzerland:
Swiss law enforcement getting room numbers for FIFA execs they are heading upstairs to arrest pic.twitter.com/F69djqpcu5
— Michael S. Schmidt (@MichaelSSchmidt) May 27, 2015
sources tell me sepp blatter is not among the fifa officials who are being arrested
— Michael S. Schmidt (@MichaelSSchmidt) May 27, 2015
FIFA execs not being led out in handcuffs. Very peaceful. Hotel staff meanwhile is freaking out.
— Michael S. Schmidt (@MichaelSSchmidt) May 27, 2015