FIFA bans convicted Brazilian soccer official Marin for life
Brazilian soccer official Jose Maria Marin was banned for life by FIFA yesterday, 16 months after he was convicted of corruption charges in the United States.
The 86-year-old Marin, who led Brazil’s organising committee for the 2014 World Cup, was sentenced in August to four years in prison for racketeering, money laundering and wire fraud.
FIFA said Marin was also guilty of taking bribes linked to media and marketing rights for South American and Brazilian soccer competitions.
Prosecutors in federal court said at his 2017 trial that Marin took $6.6 million in bribes. He was ordered to forfeit $3.3 million and pay a $1.2 million fine.
The FIFA ethics committee also imposed a 1 million Swiss franc ($1 million) fine – the same financial penalty ordered against several soccer officials indicted or convicted by American authorities. It is unclear how FIFA can enforce payment.
Marin was arrested at a luxury Zurich hotel in May 2015 as part of the sweeping American investigation of corruption linked to FIFA officials.
More than 40 people and marketing agencies have pleaded guilty, been convicted or have been indicted and are fighting extradition. As Novak Djokovic begins his preparations for a fourth straight Grand Slam title, he likes to imagine beating Rafael Nadal in the French Open final.
“That would be the match of the season, yes,” Djokovic said at the Monte Carlo Masters. Djokovic and his longtime rival Nadal are starting their clay-court seasons this week at Monte Carlo, their first tuneup on clay ahead of the May 26-June 9 French Open in Paris, and which could see them meet for a 54th time if they reach the final.
Toppling Nadal at Roland Garros, where the Spaniard is the defending champion and a record 11-time winner, is what Djokovic really wants.
It’s something Djokovic considers “one of the ultimate challenges of the sport” – much like facing Roger Federer during his grass-court prime at Wimbledon. They are the three most successful players in Grand Slam history: Federer has won a record 20 majors, Nadal 17 and Djokovic is catching them up with 15.
The top-ranked Djokovic has won the past three majors in straight sets, including a stunning rout of Nadal in the Australian Open final this year. He also has a 28-25 winning record against Nadal – a considerable achievement in itself.
Yet despite all the positive points stacked up, he considers Nadal a different and much more dangerous opponent at this stage of the season.
“I think Rafa is always a very clear favourite on any clay court in the world, and it doesn’t change,” Djokovic said. “He’s still there. I mean (it) obviously depends how he’s feeling physically. I have seen him (training) here, he’s been here a few days. Seems like he’s fine.”
Djokovic referred to Nadal’s troublesome right knee, which flared up again last month and forced the second-ranked Nadal to pull out of his eagerly-awaited semifinal against Federer at Indian Wells.
That was on hard courts, however, and clay is kinder to the 32year-old Nadal’s battered knees.
Nadal has won Monte Carlo 11 times, also a record. His 46-match winning streak in Monte Carlo – broken by Djokovic in the 2013 final – is the most consecutive wins at a tournament by any man or woman.
Both players have byes to the second round here, and are due to play today or tomorrow.
Nadal faces either countryman