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FIFA To Brief Exec Committee on U.S. And Swiss Investigations

FIFA's exec committee will be updated this week on "the American and Swiss corruption investigations which involve some of its own members," according to the AP. The two-day session starting Thursday will be chaired by President Sepp Blatter, "who is an expected target of both federal cases." On Friday, Blatter is scheduled for his first news conference at FIFA since July 20. Blatter's reluctance to visit countries which have an extradition treaty with the U.S. "appears to have affected FIFA's business schedule." FIFA said the exec committee will decide Friday on "the date and place of its next meeting." That meeting had previously been scheduled to take place on Dec. 17-18 in Japan, "where Blatter could risk arrest." One option could be to create a rare five-month gap between exec sessions and hold the meeting in Zurich "days ahead of the extraordinary congress on Feb. 26 when Blatter's successor will be elected" (AP, 9/22).   

WARNER EXTRADITION LOOMING: The BBC reported that U.S. extradition proceedings against Jack Warner, a former FIFA VP, "are to go ahead after being approved by Trinidad's attorney general." The U.S. wants to try Warner, 72, a Trinidadian national, on corruption charges. He is accused of "accepting millions of dollars in bribes." He "denies the charges and is currently fighting the extradition attempt." Warner's case has been adjourned until Friday due to a "legal dispute over a technicality" (BBC, 9/21).

ZWANZIGER CALLS FOR BLATTER, PLATINI: ESPN's Stephan Uersfeld reported former FIFA exec committee member Theo Zwanziger has "called upon" Blatter, UEFA President Michel Platini and DFB President Wolfgang Niersbach as witnesses for his upcoming trial with Qatar. Earlier this year Qatar, as well as its FA, sued former German FA President Zwanziger "for libel." Zwanziger, 70, "has been critical of the awarding of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar," and has repeatedly said Qatar was "a cancer on world football" (ESPN, 9/22)

ZICO CALLS FOR CHANGES: The AP's Tales Azzoni reported former Brazil player Zico met with Blatter "to ask for changes in election eligibility rules" at FIFA. Zico "is struggling to fulfill the requirement of having at least five federations supporting him as a candidate." He said that this rule "needs to change because local federations are pressured by their confederations and can't make their own choices." Zico said that Blatter was "very receptive to his letter calling for the changes" (AP, 9/22).

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