FIFA will receive a compensation of 171 million euros as indicated this Tuesday by the United States Department of Justice for the losses suffered by Concacaf, CONMEBOL and FIFA itself as a result of “several decades of corruption schemes in football”.
“The sum was stolen from the bank accounts of former officials involved for years in football corruption schemes for which they were prosecuted. The funds will go to the newly created World Football Forgiveness Fund, established under the auspices of the FIFA Foundation to finance soccer-related projects that positively influence communities around the world “, reported the body that presides Gianni Infantino.
“I am delighted that the illegally stolen money is now returning to football to fulfill its true purpose, its intended purpose from the beginning,” Infantino said. “I wish to express my sincere appreciation to the United States judicial authorities for the work they have carried out on these issues, for their speed and efficiency in reaching a conclusion, and for their overall confidence,” he said.
“The truth is that, thanks to his intervention in 2015, we have radically changed FIFA from the toxic organization of those days to transforming it into a highly esteemed and trustworthy global governing body. Now that, thankfully, we have far exceeded that deplorable period in our history brings great joy that these huge funds are made available to the FIFA Foundation, as they will benefit many people throughout the world of football, especially through programs aimed at young people and communities ” Infantino added.
In addition, the FIFA President also recalled that: “Since 2016, FIFA and the United States Department of Justice have maintained close cooperation, and I am convinced that this decision further recognizes the significant progress we have made from the From a point of view of good governance and transparency, matters that we discuss and present the FIFA officials and myself in meetings with the authorities. Today we know that this money is in good hands at the FIFA Foundation and that it will be used for the purposes for which it is intended, “he said.
“On behalf of future beneficiaries around the world, I want to thank the American authorities for the trust they have placed in FIFA. We will ensure that these funds are used as they should be, and that they bring tangible benefits to the people who actually do them. they need, “concluded the FIFA president.
The World Soccer Forgiveness Fund will operate under the auspices of the FIFA Foundation, an independent entity whose purpose is to promote social change around the world through soccer. The Fund, which seeks to focus particularly on youth and community programs, will allocate specific amounts to Concacaf and CONMEBOL projects to “alleviate the tremendous damage suffered as a result of corruption schemes.” “In addition, all projects will be rigorously supervised with audits and compliance controls that guarantee full transparency and accountability,” concludes FIFA.