GENEVA -- Two senior Olympic officials from Kuwait, one reputed to be the"kingmaker" of IOC elections and another who is president of swimming's international governing body, have been targeted by the U.S. Department of Justice for suspected racketeering and bribery related to FIFA and international soccer politics, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.
The sheikh is an influential powerbroker in Olympic circles who was a key ally behind Thomas Bach's successful run to the IOC presidency in 2013. The long-time IOC member is president of the group of national Olympic bodies known as ANOC and a former member of the FIFA executive committee. The 58-year-old sheikh has been seen as a potential future Emir of the oil-rich kingdom, a status that fueled rivalry.
Since 2013, Sheikh Ahmad and his allies have run the Asian Football Confederation. They control most of the soccer body's 46 votes at FIFA's annual meeting of 211 members, and can place people on FIFA committees. "Our work isn't finished," Michael J. Driscoll of the FBI's New York Field Office said in a statement last week,"and our promise to those who love the game _ we won't give up until everyone sees justice for what they've done."
Should we be shocked by this. FIFA is right up there with IOC and the Vatican as being the most corrupt organizations in the world. The USA has always greased the rails to their benefit when ever possible. Same old, same old.
Just another reason as to why soccer is not a sport
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