by Suzanne Beishon

FOOTBALL superpower Fifa was plunged into crisis yesterday after a string of high-profile officials were arrested in dawn raids in Zurich for alleged racketeering, conspiracy and corruption.

On the eve of its 65th conference and presidential election the scandal-hit organisation saw seven officials, including vice-president Jeffrey Webb, hauled in by Swiss authorities on behalf of the US Department of Justice following a seven-year investigation.

A statement on the case from the US Department of Justice revealed: “All told, the soccer officials are charged with conspiring to solicit and receive well over $150 million in bribes and kickbacks in exchange for their official support of the sports marketing executive who agreed to make the unlawful payments.”

A separate investigation also saw the Swiss attorney general announce the opening criminal proceedings into the much-questioned 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids, seizing documents and data from Fifa’s headquarters and announcing that they will be questioning the 10 current executive committee members who voted on the tournaments.

After police swooped on the five-star Baur au Lac hotel hosting the officials, US attorney general Loretta Lynch said the indictment alleged “corruption that is rampant, systemic and deep-rooted both abroad and here in the United States” and that it “spans at least two generations of soccer officials who, as alleged, have abused their positions of trust to acquire millions of dollars in bribes and kickbacks.”

Responding to the revelations at a hurried press conference, the world governing body’s director of communications Walter de Gregorio said that the investigation would not affect the presidential election taking place on Friday, or the hosting of the World Cups in Russia and Qatar. “The election will take place as planned. The World Cups 2018 and 2022 will be played in Russia and Qatar,” he said.

President Sepp Blatter is not included in the indictment but calls for his resignation have snowballed amid the crisis, which also includes questions on the 2010 World Cup bidding process, the awarding of sponsorship deals and the 2011 Fifa presidential elections.

Trade unionists slammed Blatter’s postion as “untenable” and called for people to be put before money.

ITUC general secretary Sharan Burrow said: “After 17 years at the head of Fifa, during which the stink of corruption around Fifa grew stronger, Mr Blatter should step down forthwith.”

With the focus today on corruption charges, the world also mustn’t forget that migrant workers in Qatar are still being worked to death.”

General secretary of Building and Woodworkers’ International Ambet Yuson said: “The current leadership of Fifa believe that they stand above international law, whether it regards corruption, working conditions or human rights. It is time for a change and new Fifa.”

In total nine Fifa officials or former officials and five corporate executives have been arrested as part of the indictment and further four have already pleaded guilty to charges including Chuck Blazer, the “super-grass” believed to have provided much of the evidence for the FBI investigation.

But acting US Attorney Kelly T Currie warned that the department's investigations are ongoing. “Let me be clear: This indictment is not the final chapter in our investigation,” she said.