"We will restore the image of FIFA. " As soon as elected to the presidency of the International Football Federation, on February 26, 2016, Gianni Infantino pledged to restore the coat of arms of the body, undermined by corruption cases. Polishing an image of a "white knight", the Italo-Switzerland had set out to take stock of the reign (1998-2015) of its predecessor, Sepp Blatter, to better distinguish itself from it.
Salaries, bonuses, pension contributions, expense allowances, reimbursements of travel expenses… The new FIFA strong man reviewed the sums paid, from 2005 to the end of 2015, to more than a hundred elected officials and members of the administration of the federation.
This mission, entrusted to the audit firm Deloitte between June 2016 and February 2017, resulted in the drafting of a "preliminary and confidential version" of a report to which The world had access. The document, handed over in 2017 but never made public, highlights the financial mores rooted in the era as well as the abuses committed by many players in world football.
Former members of the executive committee pinned
If they find a bypass of the system "Approval" in force for payment procedures, which allowed FIFA executives to perform "Directly" bank payments "For which beneficiary details were not registered" ("Approximately" 62 million Swiss francs over the period studied), the Deloitte auditors insist above all on the weak control of reimbursement of expenses.
They point out in passing the practices of former members of the executive committee (the FIFA government), many of whom, however, were compensated up to $ 300,000 annually during the reign of Mr. Blatter, but who took advantage of generosity and d 'a certain laissez-faire.
- Removed from office as secretary general, in September 2015, the French Jérôme Valcke is not spared. FIFA paid $ 232,800 to rent an apartment in Rio de Janeiro from May to December 2013 before the 2014 Brazilian World Cup. Deloitte wonders if"There was a valid commercial reason for a rental of this duration". 31,396 dollars were also paid by FIFA to its ex-number two, between 2008 and 2015, "For gifts" or shopping "In luxury boutiques" ("flowers, champagne, clothes"). When contacted, Mr. Valcke indicates that these " professional expenses have been validated by the FIFA Finance Division ”.
- FIFA paid $ 217,322 for "Medical expenses" Cameroonian Issa Hayatou, former president of the African Football Confederation and former interim boss of FIFA (2015-2016). A " current account " was intended for his care.
- Thai Worawi Makudi collected 309,868 dollars from 2009 to 2015, for invoices addressed to the federation of his country.
- $ 22,827 was paid by FIFA for the "Private expenses" Tahitian Reynald Temarii, in the crosshairs of French justice in an investigation into the controversial award of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The slate was cleared by the federation due to the suspension of Mr. Temarii, banned before the vote to award the tournament to the emirate.
