FIFA Admits To Receive World Cup Hosting Bribes

By Jenn Loro - 17 Mar '16 07:54AM

The embattled world soccer organization FIFA admitted Wednesday that previous awarding of World Cups were laden with corruption as some unscrupulous officials pleaded guilty to a string of cases involving bribery.

Upon assuming office as the new president of the world governing body, Gianni Infantino, kick started by steering to clear FIFA out of the corruption and launched a campaign to recoup millions of dollars worth of damages.

In a statement, FIFA made its most glaring admission yet of the corruption that has pervasively formed part of its institutional culture over the years.

"It is now apparent that multiple members of FIFA ExCo abused their positions and sold their votes on multiple occasions," FIFA admitted as mentioned in a Daily Mail report.

In a 22-page restitution claim from New York U.S. Attorney's Office, FIFA seeks $28.2 million for payments and bonuses to now corrupt officials as well as $10 million for the bribed money that then-executive committee members received who voted for South Africa's World Cup bid.

"By corrupting these tournaments, matches, sponsorships, and other football affairs through their backroom deals and secret payoffs, the defendants dragged FIFA into their sordid misconduct and tarnished the FIFA brand," the FIFA claim reads as submitted to US authorities for review as quoted by ABC News Australia.

As part of his effort to purge FIFA of corruption under his watch, Infantino vowed to take on the fight 'no matter how long it takes' adding that bruised Zurich-based institution was victimized by corruption.

"The convicted defendants abused the positions of trust they held at FIFA and other international football organizations and caused serious and lasting damage to FIFA. The monies they pocketed belonged to global football and were meant for the development and promotion of the game. FIFA as the world governing body of football wants that money back and we are determined to get it no matter how long it takes," said Infantino in a statement as quoted in USA Today report.