Jeffrey Webb at the official draw for the FIFA Under-20 World Cup football tournament in Auckland in February. He has been arrested on suspicion of corruption. Photo / Getty Images
Jeffrey Webb at the official draw for the FIFA Under-20 World Cup football tournament in Auckland in February. He has been arrested on suspicion of corruption. Photo / Getty Images
The Fifa bribery and corruption scandal won't have any practical impact on the running of the U20 world cup in New Zealand, says the top local official in charge of the event.
Chief executive of the local organising committee (LOC) David Beeche said he had no concerns the tournament could be affected by the scandal that has engulfed a host of top officials, including the chairman of the tournament's organising committee, Jeffrey Webb.
Webb oversaw the governance of the U20 event but was not directly involved in operations, Mr Beeche said.
"We don't anticipate any issues whatsoever at this stage."
Local organisers were fully focused on delivering a fantastic event. The tournament begins on Saturday when hosts New Zealand take on Ukraine in Albany.
Webb was one of the nine officials accused by US prosecutors of running "a World Cup of fraud". As Fifa president Sepp Blatter this morning promised to kick corrupt officials "out of the game", US prosecutors today laid bare widespread allegations of rampant corruption at football's governing body.
US Attorney General Loretta Lynch claimed that bribery and corruption had dogged football's world governing body at the highest levels for at least 24 years.
"They corrupted the business of worldwide soccer to serve their interests and to enrich themselves," Lynch told a news conference called to discuss indictments unsealed by US authorities. "They did this over and over, year after year, tournament after tournament."
Richard Weber, one of Lynch's chief investigators, said: "This is really the World Cup of fraud and today we are issuing Fifa a red card. The fans shouldn't have to worry about officials corrupting their sport."
Former #FIFA vice president Jack Warner who was arrested in #Trinidad has been released on $2.5 million bail
Webb was one of seven high-ranking Fifa officials Swiss authorities arrested yesterday in a dawn raid at a luxury Zurich hotel. Two former Fifa officials and five sports marketing executives were also arrested.
Police swooped on football's global governing body - alleging corruption over two decades - as world officials were welcomed to an Auckland marae to launch the U20 World Cup in New Zealand.
Webb, who was in New Zealand for the U20 World Cup draw in February, is one of the highest profile arrests.
He is the current Fifa vice-president and executive committee member, CONCACAF president and Cayman Islands Football Association (CIFA) president.
The 50-year-old was born and lives in the Cayman Islands and was previously been hailed by Blatter as the potential successor to the position of Fifa president.
New Zealand Football CEO Andy Martin, in Zurich for the annual Fifa Congress, said the developments were very serious.
From top left clockwise are Jeffrey Webb, Jose Maria Marin, Nicolas Leoz, Eugenio Figueredo, Jack Warner, and Eduardo Li. Photo / AP
"The developments in the last 24 hours are very serious and we continue to monitor the situation closely so that we can react appropriately," Martin said.
"Our delegation in Zurich are in close contact with our Executive Committee and Oceania Football and we will continue to play our role in upholding the integrity of Fifa and its operations."
Confusingly, New Zealand police said none of the officials arrested were involved in the U20 World Cup.
Martin said the arrests and investigation shouldn't impact the World Cup on New Zealand soil.
Twenty-four teams are in the country for the three-week tournament which will take place over seven cities.
'Difficult time'
Blatter said: "This is a difficult time for football, the fans and for Fifa as an organisation. We understand the disappointment that many have expressed and I know that the events of today will impact the way in which many people view us.
"As unfortunate as these events are, it should be clear that we welcome the actions and the investigations by the US and Swiss authorities and believe that it will help to reinforce measures that Fifa has already taken to root out any wrongdoing in football.
"Let me be clear: such misconduct has no place in football and we will ensure that those who engage in it are put out of the game.
"We will continue to work with the relevant authorities and we will work vigorously within Fifa in order to root out any misconduct, to regain your trust and ensure that football worldwide is free from wrongdoing."
Lynch told a news conference this morning that events influenced by corruption include the award of the 2010 World Cup to South Africa and the 2011 Fifa presidential election.
US officials would not be drawn on whether or not other senior Fifa figures not named in the indictment, such as Blatter, could be charged.
But Kelly Currie, acting US attorney for the eastern district of New York, said Wednesday's actions mark the beginning rather than the end of the probe.
Lynch said the US investigation into marketing kickbacks was separate but parallel to a Swiss investigation into allegations of bribery in the process of awarding the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar.
FBI chief James Comey said: "Football is the beautiful game because the field is flat: it is available to everyone no matter where you come from. It has lifted billions around the globe.
"But the game was hijacked. That flat playing field was tilted in favour of those who were looking to gain at the expense of countries and kids."
Earlier, the FBI announced it would question 14 Fifa executives and marketing officials allegedly involved in bribes "totalling more than $150 million" linked to commercial deals dating back to the 1990s for football tournaments in the United States and Latin America.
Just hours later, Swiss authorities also unexpectedly announced they were opening separate criminal proceedings over the award of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups on allegations of 'criminal mismanagement and money laundering' by Fifa, which has been dogged by rumours of corruption for years.
