Senators press US soccer executive on knowledge of FIFA corruption

Senators on Wednesday pressed the chief of the U.S. Soccer Federation to say whether he or any other executives knew anything about the alleged racketeering, bribery and corruption that took place at FIFA.

“There were moments I would describe if I had a level of discomfort, I would not participate,” said Dan Flynn, CEO and secretary general of the sport in the United States.

{mosads}When Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) asked when that level of discomfort began and whether he made any efforts to investigate, Flynn said he could not pinpoint a specific time and had no hard facts to pursue. 

“If there were cold facts, I would have brought that to the attention of the appropriate people,” he said. “There was nothing in the way of any facts I could take to anyone else.”

The questions came at a Senate Commerce subcommittee hearing called to examine the role of the United States in international soccer in the wake of the corruption scandal swirling around the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the international governing body of soccer.

The Department of Justice indicted FIFA executives in May, alleging they have paid more than $150 million in kickbacks and bribes for media and rights to market international soccer matches since 1991.

Blumenthal wanted to know why U.S. Soccer Federation Chairman Sunil Gulati declined the invitation to testify at the Senate hearing.

“Don’t you think he has an obligation to answer the questions that we’ve been directing to you?” he asked.

When Flynn said the federation would be more than happy to respond in writing if the senator’s not satisfied with the answers he provided, Blumenthal made him promise Gulati would be the one to reply.

Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) wanted to know what specific instances at FIFA made Flynn feel discomfort.

As one of the 35 certified voting nations in CONCACAF, the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football, Flynn said certain ways ex-FIFA executive Jack Warner ran a meeting, including holding votes versus sealed votes, led to feelings of discomfort.  

“Is there a reason, if you were seeing these issues knowing what we know now, why you would not try to confront him or perhaps ask why he’s doing what he’s doing?” Daines asked.