Former FIFA exec slams U.S. over fake news article
Jack Warner, who faces corruption charges linked to soccer's governing body, apparently misses the point of The Onion when lambasting his critics
Former FIFA vice president Jack Warner has renewed his criticism of the United States, where he faces corruption charges, based on a story by satirical website The Onion.
In an eight-minute Facebook video, Warner holds up a printout with The Onion headline: "FIFA Frantically Announces 2015 Summer World Cup In United States."
Warner asked "if FIFA is so bad why is it the U.S. wants ... the World Cup?"
Warner points out that FIFA is "the very same organization they (the U.S.) are accusing of being corrupt. That has to be double standards."
The fake story was published on Wednesday, hours after Warner was indicted in the U.S. and arrested in Trinidad.
Warner asks why the story was "two days before the FIFA election" when Sepp Blatter was re-elected as president.
Blatter has also hit out at his critics following the outbreak of scandal, who contend that even if he is guilt-free when it comes to the culture of rampant corruption in FIFA, he is terrible at stopping it.
"[FIFA's]Congress, they are of the opinion that I am still the man to go into these problems and to solve these problems," Blatter said at a news conference Saturday, a day after he was elected to a fifth term.
He claimed the indictments and arrests were an attempt to interfere with the FIFA elections.
"I am not certain... but it doesn't smell good," he said.
The 79-year-old also denied being the "high-ranking FIFA official" the Department of Justice mentioned in the indictment. That person allegedly bribed North American organizers, wiring them $10 million so they would vote in favor of hosting the men's 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
So far, 14 people have been arrested in cases involving more than $150 million in bribes and money-laundering schemes spanning a 24-year period. Some of the arrests included marketing and soccer officials.