Zimpapers Logo

LONDON. – In 2010, FIFA caused controversy by overlooking bids from the likes of England, the United States and Australia to award the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar.

Ten of the 22 members of the FIFA committee who awarded World Cups to the two countries have now been punished by the organisation.

Seven years on, we take a look at the men who made the decision and where they are now.

President: Sepp Blatter

(Switzerland)

Blatter is serving a six-year ban from football over an illicit payment to Michel Platini and other offences.

He is also under criminal investigation in Switzerland.

Vice-presidents:

Julio Grondona (Argentina)

The firebrand who became Argentine FA president under the country’s military junta in 1979 passed away in 2014.

Following the decision to award Russia and Qatar the World Cup, he said he would only vote for England if they gave the Falkland Islands to the South American country.

Issa Hayatou (Cameroon)

Hayatou was deposed this week after nearly three decades as head of African football.

Mong-Joon Chung (South Korean)

Mong-Joon Chung is serving a five-year ban for alleged offences during the 2018-2022 bidding process.

Jack Warner (Trinidad and Tobago)

Warner has been banned from football for life for pocketing millions in kickbacks, but seems to have won fight against extradition to US as part of an FBI probe.

Angel Maria Villar Llona (Spain)

Villar Llona is still on FIFA Council and still president of the Spanish federation, despite being fined for not co-operating with FIFA ethics committee over 2018 World Cup probe.

Michel Platini (France)

Former UEFA president Platini has been banned from football for four years after accepting an irregular payment from FIFA at Blatter’s authorisation. He is under criminal investigation in Switzerland.

Blatter claims Platini swayed the committee to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar, leading them to reject his view that the United States was the ideal place to host the tournament.

Geoff Thompson (England)

Thompson is still serving on FIFA committees.

ORDINARY MEMBERS

Michel D’Hooghe (Belgium)

D’Hooghe is still on the FIFA Council.

Ricardo Terra Teixeira (Brazil)

Teixeira left all football posts, staying in Brazil to avoid extradition to US.

Mohammed Bin Hammam (Qatar)

Bin Hammam, was banned for life (twice!) after a bribe scandal around his bid to become FIFA president in 2011 and other offences.

Senes Erzik (Turkey)

Erzik still on the FIFA Council.

Chuck Blazer (United States)

The FBI supergrass was banned from football for life for taking millions in bungs around TV contracts.

Worawi Makudi (Thailand)

Makudi was banned for five years for forgery in Thai FA election campaign.

Nicolas Leoz (Paraguay)

Leoz has been provisionally banned from football.

He is fighting extradition to USA as part of the FBI’s investigation.

Junji Ogura (Japan)

Ogura has retired.

Marios Lefkaritis (Cyprus)

Lefkaritis is still on the FIFA Council.

Jacques Anouma (Ivory Coast)

The former Executive Committee member has denied claims he took bribes from the Qatar World Cup bid.

Franz Beckenbauer (Germany)

German legend Beckenbauer served a ban for non-co-operation with the FIFA 2018/2022 World Cup probe.

He is under criminal investigation in Switzerland over mysterious payments surrounding Germany’s successful bid to host in 2006

Rafael Salguero (Guatemala)

Salguero has been indicted in FBI probe and is accused of taking kickbacks in marketing deals.

Hany Abo Rida (Egypt)

Abo Rida is still on FIFA Council

Vitaly Mutko (Russia)

Despite investigators saying Mutko, as sports minister, must have been aware of Russia’s state-sponsored doping programme, he is still on the FIFA Council. – The Sun.