WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Currie spoke at the briefing following the announcement by the US Justice Department earlier on Wednesday that high ranking FIFA officials had been arrested for corruption and charged for receiving over $150 million in bribes and kickbacks.
“Ultimately that is going to be a decision for FIFA and its constituent organizations. It is not going to be a decision for the Department of Justice,” Currie said, when asked whether the FIFA corruption scandal would have an impact on where next World Cup will be held.
There is no indication that the FIFA corruption and bribery schemes had any effect on the outcome of any of the international soccer association’s games, Currie said.
US Senators John McCain and Bob Menendez on Tuesday urged FIFA not to reelect its President Sepp Blatter for a fifth term because of his support for Russia hosting the World Cup in 2018.
The World Cup is scheduled to be held from June 14 to July 15, 2018 at 12 stadiums in 11 Russian cities, including Moscow, Kazan, Sochi and St. Petersburg among other locations.
On Wednesday, several FIFA officials were arrested in Zurich, Switzerland. They will be extradited to the US on federal corruption charges, including fraud, racketeering, money laundering, as well as engaging in shady marketing and broadcasting deals over the last 20 years.
Meanwhile, one of the seven arrested top FIFA officials has agreed to be extradited to the United States, Switzerland’s Federal Department of Justice and Police said.
“At the initial hearing, one person indicated that they were willing to pursue simplified extradition,” the department said in a press statement.
The majority of the arrested officials are contesting their extradition, according to Swiss authorities. Switzerland’s Federal Office of Justice will ask the United States to submit formal extradition requests within 40 days, as outlined in the countries’ bilateral extradition treaty.
