Arrested FIFA Official Fends off Allegations of Corruption and Money Laundering
By Adam Decker, Marketing –
Controversy racks FIFA with the recent arrest of a high-ranking official on corruption allegations.
Following his arrest by the Anti-Corruption Unit of the Royal Cayman Islands Police, FIFA official Canova Watson denied the allegations of money laundering, breach of trust, and abuse of public office.
Watson is a member of the audit and compliance committee for FIFA and is also vice president of the Caribbean Football Union. If proven true, these allegations against him will be a disaster for FIFA ― an organization with a long association with bribery and corrupt practices.
Controversy in Qatar
FIFA has already received lots of negative press over the past 12 months.
One of the most recent PR disasters for FIFA centers on the upcoming Qatar World Cup. Recent reports indicate that Mohamed Bin Hammam, president of the Asian Football Confederation, paid financial bribes to FIFA officials to win support for the event.
Many oppose the location because of the country’s controversial employment system. Known as “kafala,” these employment laws require that workers stay tied to a single employer, no matter how harshly they are treated.
Russia Under Soccer Scrutiny
Even though the Russia World Cup is still four years away, the pressure is already mounting on international teams to boycott the event because of the situation unfolding in the Ukraine.
Demand also continues to grow for sanctions that will exclude Russia from participating in other high-profile events.
Corruption Allegations Come at Bad Time
With FIFA President Sepp Blatter campaigning for re-election, the arrest of the leading FIFA official responsible for monitoring FIFA’s financial practices is bad news indeed.
While everyone at FIFA anxiously waits to see if Watson will be charged with these offences, they must be desperately hoping that he is not guilty.
Dealing with corruption like this may soon be a concern of the past. A new polygraph alternative, EyeDetect, could be the key to detecting fraud and deception in officials in organizations like FIFA. Its ease of use, non-intrusive detection procedure, and startling accuracy in lie detection will become a much-needed tool to combat corruption.
