NEW YORK: The FIFA corruption trial is to get underway with opening statements in New York on Monday, two and a half years after US prosecutors unveiled the largest graft scandal in the history of world soccer.
Forty-two officials and marketing executives, and three companies were indicted in an exhaustive 236-page complaint detailing 92 separate crimes and 15 corruption schemes to the tune of $200 million.
Yet only three of them are going on trial — three fabulously-wealthy and once-powerful soccer officials from South America, charged with racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering conspiracies.
Their fate will be decided by an anonymous jury, chosen after documented attempts at intimidation. The 12-member panel with six alternates was selected after four days of screening last week.
Opening statements are scheduled to begin Monday at the US federal court in Brooklyn.
The most high-profile defendant is Jose Maria Marin, 85, former president of Brazil’s Football Confederation — the sport’s organizing body in one of the premier soccer-playing nations in the world.
Since extradition after his 2015 arrest by Swiss police in a five-star hotel, he has been out on bail, living in luxury at Trump Tower, the Fifth Avenue skyscraper best known for housing the penthouse and company headquarters of the US president.
Also in the dock is former FIFA vice president Juan Angel Napout, 59, and Manuel Burga, who led soccer in Peru until 2014 and once served as a FIFA development committee member.
All three plead not guilty.
The trial due to last five to six weeks, prosecutors are expected to present 350,000 pages of evidence and dozens of witnesses.
If convicted, they will be sentenced by Judge Pamela Chen. The most serious counts each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years.
US prosecutors first announced the indictments on May 27, 2015, lifting the lid on a quarter of a century of endemic corruption in the heart of FIFA, soccer’s governing body.
Twenty-four defendants have already pleaded guilty, and two of them were last month sentenced to jail.
While the US investigation did not indict ex-FIFA president Sepp Blatter, he was thrown out of the sport in 2015 after FIFA’s ethics committee found him guilty of accepting an improper two million Swiss franc ($2.1 million) payment from then-UEFA chief Michel Platini.
Blatter was banned from soccer for six years, and Platini, his former heir apparent, for four years.
FIFA bribery trial to kick off in New York
FIFA bribery trial to kick off in New York
Ton-up Farhan helps Pakistan seal Super Eight spot with Namibia rout
- It was Farhan’s maiden T20 ton and he became only the second Pakistani to score a T20 World Cup century after Ahmed Shehzad in 2014 against Bangladesh
COLOMBO: Sahibzada Farhan hit a magnificent unbeaten century to help Pakistan seal the final Super Eight berth at the T20 World Cup with a thumping 102-run win over Namibia in Colombo on Wednesday.
Farhan scored 100 not out off 58 balls with four sixes and 10 fours as Pakistan posted 199-3 before they routed Namibia for 97 in 17.3 overs.
Pakistan’s victory took them to six points from four games in Group A and eliminated the United States, who finished with four points.
India also have six points and play the Netherlands in the group’s final game later Wednesday.
The defending champions India, South Africa, Zimbabwe and the West Indies will play each other in the Super eights Group 1, hosted in India.
Pakistan join New Zealand, England and co-hosts Sri Lanka in Group 2, hosted in Sri Lanka.
After a morale-shattering 61-run defeat against India, Pakistan needed a victory to avoid an early exit, which was achieved with ease as spinners Usman Tariq (4-16) and Shadab Khan (3-19) tore through the Namibia batting.
Louren Steenkamp scored 23 while Alexander Busing-Volschenk was the only other batsman to reach double figures with 20.
‘Complete performance’
Skipper Salman Agha praised a clinical show.
“It is a complete performance,” said a relieved Agha.
“We batted well and Farhan anchored the innings. He has been batting well for a while and I am happy that he got his hundred.
“With the ball we were lethal.”
Namibian skipper Gerhard Erasmus admitted Pakistan’s spin bowlers were too hot to handle.
“It (spin) is a special skill to have, to turn the ball both ways like they do,” said Erasmus.
“I think that’s one of the things we’ll definitely take home and look to improve on.”
Farhan earlier blasted a six and a four off pace bowler Jack Brassell to enter the 90s before taking a single off Gerhard Erasmus to complete his hundred in the final over.
It was Farhan’s maiden T20 ton and he became only the second Pakistani to score a T20 World Cup century after Ahmed Shehzad in 2014 against Bangladesh.
Shadab Khan, promoted to No. 5 with Babar Azam left out, hit three sixes and a four in his 36 not out off 22 balls as Pakistan smashed 42 from the last three overs.
Farhan put on 40 for the opening wicket with Saim Ayub (14) before consolidating the innings during a 67-run second wicket stand with captain Salman Agha (38).
Pakistan also left out pace bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi after a poor show in the first three matches, including conceding 31 in two overs in the defeat against India on Sunday.
Farhan’s ton means this is the first T20 World Cup in which three centuries have been scored.
He followed Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka, who scored a hundred against Australia on Monday, and Canada’s Yuvraj Sama who reached three figures against New Zealand on Tuesday.
