65th FIFA Congress: FIFA Corruption Case, 2015
APPROXIMATE COMMITTEE SIZE: 15 DELEGATES (SINGLe-Delegation)
On May 27, 2015, just days before the 65th FIFA Congress—the most senior legislative body for soccer in the world— seven FIFA officials were arrested in Zurich on charges of bribery, fraud, and money laundering. They faced extradition to the U.S. over alleged corruption involving the 2016 Copa America Centenario media rights, the selection process for the 2010 World Cup, and the 2011 FIFA Presidential Election. These arrests coincided with an FBI raid of CONCACAF, the continental governing body for football in the Caribbean, Central, and North America, as well as the arrests of former CONCACAF president Jack Warner and Argentinian marketing executive Alejandro Burzaco. This is not the first time such allegations of misconduct among FIFA officials have been made: Qatari soccer official Phaedra Al-Majid is currently in FBI protective custody for coming forward as a whistleblower in regards to the Qatari government bribing African Football Confederation officials to secure support for their 2022 World Cup host bid. Delegates must contend with this crisis rocking the world of sports.
COMMITTEE DETAILS
Delegates of this committee will discuss nominations for candidates for the FIFA presidency, including Sepp Blatter, the current FIFA president since 1998. Delegates will also discuss the recent arrests and allegations of misconduct within FIFA under Blatter’s oversight. Topics such as sanctions against subordinate football confederations accused of wrongdoing, reform of the World Cup host bid process (including the question of whether FIFA plans to continue with hosting the next World Cups in Russia and Qatar despite these accusations and concern for human rights violations committed by the Qatari government), and the future of FIFA as an organization should all be explored. Delegates will work together to respond to crises involving uncovering new information by law enforcement, FIFA presidential nominations, and other developments that may jeopardize the future of FIFA.
CHAIR: Amanda bloom
ABOUT THE CHAIR
Amanda Bloom is a member of the Class of 2027 in the Walsh School of Foreign Service, majoring in International Politics and minoring in Journalism. She is from the suburbs of Chicago, where she grew up watching Messi play for Barcelona. She competed in Model UN all four years of high school, and now competes for Georgetown. Outside of MUN, Amanda does research for Georgetown Eco Consultants and hosts a mental health radio talk show. Amanda can’t wait to serve as Chair for DistrictMUN’s FIFA committee!
CM: theodora lyne
ABOUT THE Crisis Manager
Theodora Lyne is a member of the Class of 2027 in the College of Arts and Sciences, majoring in Government and minoring in Italian. She is currently the Under-Secretary-General for Contemporary Crisis for GIRA’s high school conference, NAIMUN. She was born and raised in New York City but also comes from a football-loving English family. She competed in Model UN all four years of high school and did Model UN in middle school. She has previously served as a Crisis Analyst at NAIMUN, Georgetown’s high school conference, and twice as a Crisis Analyst at Georgetown's college conference, NCSC. Outside of MUN, Theodora can be found tabling in Red Square and at H*yas For Choice advocacy meetings, debating, going for walks around DC, and making Trader Joe's trips with her friends. She is so excited to serve as the Crisis Manager for DistrictMUN’s FIFA committee!