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Russian President Vladimir Putin Backs Blatter In Wake Of U.S.'s FIFA Investigation

The FIFA corruption probe "turned into another cold war-style quarrel" between Russia and the U.S. on Thursday, as President Vladimir Putin "denounced Washington’s investigation as another case of illegal meddling by a bullying superpower," according to Kathrin Hille of the FINANCIAL TIMES. Putin "threw his weight" behind FIFA President Sepp Blatter and his colleagues, who he likened to Edward Snowden, the former U.S. National Security Agency contractor turned whistleblower, and WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange "as heroes resisting American pressure." Putin: "I have no doubt that this is an obvious attempt to prevent Mr. Blatter from being re-elected as FIFA president." Swiss prosecutors "are separately examining the controversial bidding process that led to Russia being awarded the right to host the next World Cup in 2018." Putin said the Kremlin knew that Blatter "had been put under pressure to cancel the tournament." Putin: "It is a grave violation of the principles of the functioning of international organizations" (FT, 5/28). BLOOMBERG's Biryukov, Meyer & Arkhipov wrote Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Alexander Lukashevich said in a website statement on Wednesday Russia has “many questions” about the investigation, which is “another case of the extraterritorial application of U.S. laws." He added, "We hope that this will by no means be used to cast a shadow on the international soccer organization in general and the decisions it is taking." Russia’s World Cup Organizing Committee said that its bid campaign was made “in full compliance with FIFA rules” and that its representatives “acted ethically and in a spirit of fair play throughout" (BLOOMBERG, 5/28).

NOT INTERESTED: In London, Alan Yuhas wrote the U.S. Embassy has "fended off" Putin's criticism, saying "this investigation has nothing to do with Russia." The diplomats said "relations between the two countries had played no role in the affair." Moscow Embassy spokesperson Will Stevens said, "Russia does not even figure in any way in the many pages of text published for the press yesterday by the US Justice Department. Some of the figures charged are American citizens. Among them there are no citizens of the Russian Federation." The violations, he said, "are related to the commercialization of marketing in the U.S. and sports marketing during various football competitions mainly in territories of North America and South America" (GUARDIAN, 5/28).

'DOWN THE DRAIN': In London, Simeon Kerr wrote initial jubilation when Qatar won the right to host the 2022 World Cup "has mutated into subdued resignation at the rising tide of corruption claims against Doha’s bid." The steady stream of criticism "has now exploded into a dramatic threat to the Qatar World Cup" after seven FIFA officials were arrested on corruption charges relating to a U.S. probe." One Doha-based businessman said, "Everyone is watching this very nervously. It is clear that this is very serious, but it is too early to tell." James Dorsey, a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of Int'l Studies in Singapore said, "Qatar has been its own worst enemy, wasting its soft power strategy down the drain" (FT, 5/28). REUTERS' Andrew Osborn wrote British PM David Cameron believes that "there is a strong case for a change of leadership" at FIFA after the arrests of several senior officials. A spokesperson said, "He (Cameron) does think there's a very -- in diplomatic speak -- a very very strong case for a change of leadership" (REUTERS, 5/28). REUTERS' Philip O'Connor wrote former UEFA President Lennart Johansson said that "the decision to award the World Cup to Russia and Qatar must now be reviewed in the light of the latest corruption allegations." Johansson, who lost the '98 FIFA presidential election to Blatter, "would like to see the 2018 finals played in England instead of Russia, with a new process also to choose the host of the 2022 tournament, currently set for Qatar." He said, "I'm not surprised at what is happening. Blatter will obviously ensure that he wins the election in his own way. I think it's unfortunate that the world's biggest sporting movement has such a leader at the top. I really do" (REUTERS, 5/28).

TOO EARLY: Australian Federal Sport Minister Sussan Ley said that "it was too early to consider Australia making another World Cup bid while corruption allegations cast a shadow over the sport's governing body." Ley said that "corruption had no place in sport." Ley: "It is disappointing for all lovers of football to hear these allegations." Opposition sport spokesperson Bernie Ripoll said Labor, which was in power at the time of Australia's bid, was "disgusted" at the arrests and the allegations of bribery. Ripoll: "Expenditure of taxpayers funds has previously been scrutinized through Senate estimates. Any allegations in relation to the Australian bid should be forwarded to the appropriate authorities for thorough investigation" (THE AGE, 5/28). BLOOMBERG's Cohen, Wild & Mbatha reported South African government and sporting officials "dismissed allegations the country paid bribes to win the right" to host the 2010 World Cup. South African Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula said, "We are very clear that when it comes to the FIFA 2010 World Cup, there is nothing on our side that could implicate our government." Mbalula said that the "speculation about South Africa's involvement in bribery is 'reckless at best.'" Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe said, "There has never been any suggestion that anything untoward happened in South Africa. When we concluded the World Cup, we got a clean audit report from Ernst and Young" (BLOOMBERG, 5/28). In London, Joe Leahy wrote for Brazil, former Brazilian Football Federation (CBF) President José Maria Marin's arrest has "prompted hope that finally one of its dirtiest institutions, football, might be held to account." The "beautiful game's ugly off-field cousin might have met its match in the most unlikely of jurisdictions," the U.S. Flávio de Leão Bastos Pereira, professor of criminal law at Mackenzie University in São Paulo, said, "This could stimulate the necessary changes in Brazilian football in terms of greater professionalization, ethics and transparency. This will have repercussions" (FT, 5/28). In Sydney, Simon King reported the former Head of Corporate Affairs for Football Federation Australia Bonita Mersiades, who worked on the failed 2022 World Cup bid, said that FFA "did everything possible to keep one of the key figures in the US-led crackdown on corruption in football’s governing body 'happy.'" Peter Hargitay, she said, was employed by FFA -- which received more than A$45M ($34.4M) from the public purse for the bid -- to "ensure the support" of Jack Warner, who ­"allegedly pocketed" A$500,000 ($383,000) of FFA funds meant for a development project and was arrested on Wednesday. Mersiades: “One of the reasons Hargitay was engaged was because of his close connections with people like Warner ... and Sepp Blatter. And the Australian bid was very keen to make sure Jack Warner was aware of our bid and happy with it" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 5/29).

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