Soccer’s Governing Body Raided

ZURICH (AP) _ The reputation of FIFA, the governing body of soccer worldwide, for corruption has reignited spectacularly two days before a presidential election expected to give Sepp Blatter four more years at the head
of world soccer.

Dawn raids by Swiss federal authorities on FIFA headquarters and a luxury hotel in Zurich supported separate federal cases in the United States and Switzerland. The U.S. probe relates to racketeering, money laundering and kickbacks in marketing deals for soccer tournaments in the U.S., Brazil and across Latin America.

Two of FIFA’s eight vice presidents and a new member of its executive committee were among officials arrested in Zurich.

The Swiss investigation is about wrongdoing in the controversial 2018-2022 World Cup bidding contests which gave hosting rights to Russia and Qatar.

FIFA, meanwhile, said Friday’s presidential election would go ahead as planned with Sepp Blatter going for a fifth term. Blatter was not named in either investigation.

FIFA also ruled out a revote of the World Cups won by Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022.

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