Fifa has dismissed allegations made by a BBC television programme against three executive committee members, saying Swiss authorities had already investigated and the case had been closed.
The BBC's Panorama programme on Monday offered what it said was new evidence over Fifa's appointment of International Sports and Leisure (ISL) as its marketing arm. ISL went bankrupt in 2001.
The programme said the members Ricardo Teixeira of Brazil, hosts of the next World Cup in 2014, Issa Hayatou, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) chief, and South American (CONMEBOL) head Nicolas Leoz took bribes from ISL to win the lucrative contract.
"The matters concerning the case ... which are referred to date back many years ago and were investigated by the relevant authorities in Switzerland," said Fifa in a statement yesterday. It added that a criminal case in the Swiss canton of Zug had not resulted in convictions for any Fifa officials.
"In its verdict of 26 June 2008, the Criminal Court of Zug had not convicted any Fifa officials," said the statement. "It is therefore important to stress again the fact that no Fifa officials were accused of any criminal offence in these proceedings ... The investigation and the case are definitely closed."
Teixeira, Leoz and Hayatou are members of the Fifa executive committee which will decide tomorrow which countries host the World Cups of 2018 and 2022. All have denied any wrongdoing. The latest allegations are based on what the BBC said was a confidential ISL document which detailed 175 secret payments between 1989 and 1999.
Hayatou is also a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and that body said it would refer the matter to its Ethics Commission.
"The IOC will ask the programme makers to pass on any evidence they may have to the appropriate authorities," it said.
Hayatou, from Cameroon, yesterday said that it was not a bribe but a payment by CAF's former sponsors approved by the confederation's executive committee. "This money was not for me it was for the 40th anniversary of CAF," he said. Hayatou said he was now considering legal action against Panorama.
MATCH INFO
Bayern Munich 2 Borussia Monchengladbach 1
Bayern: Zirkzee (26'), Goretzka (86')
Gladbach: Pavard (37' og)
Man of the Match: Breel Embolo (Borussia Monchengladbach)
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh122,745
On sale: now
Company%C2%A0profile
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Profile
Co-founders of the company: Vilhelm Hedberg and Ravi Bhusari
Launch year: In 2016 ekar launched and signed an agreement with Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. In January 2017 ekar launched in Dubai in a partnership with the RTA.
Number of employees: Over 50
Financing stage: Series B currently being finalised
Investors: Series A - Audacia Capital
Sector of operation: Transport
The biog:
Languages: Arabic, Farsi, Hindi, basic Russian
Favourite food: Pizza
Best food on the road: rice
Favourite colour: silver
Favourite bike: Gold Wing, Honda
Favourite biking destination: Canada
In The Heights
Directed by: Jon M. Chu
Stars: Anthony Ramos, Lin-Manual Miranda
Rating: ****
Ad Astra
Director: James Gray
Stars: Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones
Five out of five stars
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%202-litre%20direct%20injection%20turbo%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%207-speed%20automatic%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20261hp%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20400Nm%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20From%20Dh134%2C999%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Ant-Man%20and%20the%20Wasp%3A%20Quantumania
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPeyton%20Reed%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Paul%20Rudd%2C%20Evangeline%20Lilly%2C%20Jonathan%20Majors%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
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