Chuck Blazer
Encyclopedia
Charles "Chuck" Blazer is an American
soccer administrator.
He has been a member of the FIFA Executive Committee
since 1996, and served as Commissioner of the American Soccer League
and Executive Vice President of the United States Soccer Federation
. He is currently the General Secretary of CONCACAF
.
In May of 2011, in response to allegations of bribery made by national representatives attending a 10 May meeting of the Caribbean Football Union
(CFU
), Blazer initiated an investigation of AFC
President Mohammed bin Hammam
and FIFA Vice President Jack Warner. The investigation was conducted by John P.Collins, former United States
federal prosecutor and FIFA
Legal Committee member. Its submission led to FIFA's 29 May 2011 suspension of Warner and Bin Hammam from all soccer activities pending the outcome of FIFA's own investigation and procedures.
At the same time of these allegations, Lisle Austin
was named acting president of CONCACAF and on May 31st, Austin terminated Blazer’s services with immediate effect for the following four reasons:
During a meeting that was neither convened by the Acting President nor the President on June 2 a majority of the Executive Committee responded to Austin's assertion of authority by suspending him, stating that he was being "banned from all football activities within CONCACAF and at the national level ... for apparent infringement of the CONCACAF Statutes."
Austin asserts that this meeting of the Executive Committee was neither convened by the Acting President or the President nor was Austin given notice of the meeting, according to CONCACAF statutes , this meeting and any purported decisions were to be rendered null and void.
However, this suspected breach of CONCACAF statutes was disregarded and in a statement provided by CONCACAF, it was announced that Lisle Austin had been provisionally suspended.
On 15 June 2011, Blazer was questioned by FIFA's ethics committee after an official complaint was made in a letter to the committee signed by 11 heads of Caribbean federations. The letter said Blazer made "…statements of contempt and slander that served to impugn the integrity, discriminate against and infringe upon the personal rights…" of CONCACAF members. A further excerpt from the letter reads, “[Blazer] discriminated against certain members of the Concacaf through his contemptuous and denigratory words since all the persons who were singled out were of a specific race.”
On August 10th, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee “...decided to ban Lisle Austin from taking part in any football-related activity (administrative, sports or any other) for a period of one year for lodging a claim related to football matters…” and until such time as he withdrew his civil suit against CONCACAF.
On Sunday August 14, 2011, Football journalist Andrew Jennings
noted in the UK Independent, that the FBI is examining documentary evidence revealing confidential football payments to offshore accounts operated by Chuck Blazer.[8] Specifically, Jennings cites that Blazer accepted $2million in commissions from marketing deals in 2010.
On August 16th, Reuters
reported that the FBI confirmed it was examining documents recording more than $500,000 in payments made by the Caribbean Football Union to Blazer.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soccer administrator.
He has been a member of the FIFA Executive Committee
FIFA Executive Committee
FIFA Executive Committee is an institution of FIFA . It is the main decision-making body of the organization in the intervals of Congress...
since 1996, and served as Commissioner of the American Soccer League
American Soccer League
The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional soccer leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For...
and Executive Vice President of the United States Soccer Federation
United States Soccer Federation
The United States Soccer Federation is the official governing body of the sport of soccer in the United States. Its headquarters are located in Chicago, Illinois. It is a member of FIFA and is responsible for governing amateur and professional soccer, including the men's, women's, youth, futsal...
. He is currently the General Secretary of CONCACAF
CONCACAF
The Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football is the continental governing body for association football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean...
.
Controversies
In May of 2011, in response to allegations of bribery made by national representatives attending a 10 May meeting of the Caribbean Football Union
Caribbean Football Union
The Caribbean Football Union, often referred to by the acronym CFU, is the nominal governing body for Caribbean football. It represents 25 FIFA member nations, as well as 5 territories that are not affiliated to FIFA. Its member associations compete in the CONCACAF region...
(CFU
CFU
CFU may refer to:* Cambridge Fans United, fans of the English football team Cambridge United F.C.* Canadian Freelance Union, a Canadian trade union for freelance media contributors* Caribbean Football Union, the nominal governing body for Caribbean football...
), Blazer initiated an investigation of AFC
Asian Football Confederation
The Asian Football Confederation is the governing body of association football in Asia. It has 46 member countries, mostly located on the Asian continent. However, due to the disputed boundary of Europe and Asia, nations such as Russia and Turkey which are located mostly in geographic Asia are...
President Mohammed bin Hammam
Mohammed Bin Hammam
Mohamed bin Hammam is a Qatari who was formerly a football administrator and president of the Asian Football Confederation from 1 August 2002 to 14 June 2011, and a member of FIFA's 24-man executive committee from 1996 to 2011 for more than 15 years...
and FIFA Vice President Jack Warner. The investigation was conducted by John P.Collins, former United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
federal prosecutor and FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
Legal Committee member. Its submission led to FIFA's 29 May 2011 suspension of Warner and Bin Hammam from all soccer activities pending the outcome of FIFA's own investigation and procedures.
At the same time of these allegations, Lisle Austin
Lisle Austin
Lisle Austin is the head of the Barbados Football Association and was made the interim head of CONCACAF on May 30, 2011. Controversy Preceding Austin’s May 30th appointment as Acting President, Chuck Blazer triggered controversy by accusing two top international soccer officials of corruption...
was named acting president of CONCACAF and on May 31st, Austin terminated Blazer’s services with immediate effect for the following four reasons:
- “On May 30, 2011, at the Swissotel, Zurich, Switzerland, you grossly insulted and defamed every member Association of the Caribbean of the CONCACAF by stating categorically that each member Association is under investigation for bribery; and
- Without any authorization whatsoever from the Executive Committee of CONCACAF you hired the law firm of Collins and Collins to conduct an unauthorized investigation of CONCACAF and its personnel and members.
- Deliberately not informing myself, as I am now for the moment the President of CONCACAF, of the CONCACAF Caucus prior to the FIFA Congress of June 1 and usurping the authority of the President to chair all meetings of CONCACAF including the Caucus.
- Improperly appointing 5 non-elected members of CONCACAF to act as delegates to the FIFA Congress of June 1 rather than eligible elected members including myself, the acting President of CONCACAF.”
During a meeting that was neither convened by the Acting President nor the President on June 2 a majority of the Executive Committee responded to Austin's assertion of authority by suspending him, stating that he was being "banned from all football activities within CONCACAF and at the national level ... for apparent infringement of the CONCACAF Statutes."
Austin asserts that this meeting of the Executive Committee was neither convened by the Acting President or the President nor was Austin given notice of the meeting, according to CONCACAF statutes , this meeting and any purported decisions were to be rendered null and void.
However, this suspected breach of CONCACAF statutes was disregarded and in a statement provided by CONCACAF, it was announced that Lisle Austin had been provisionally suspended.
On 15 June 2011, Blazer was questioned by FIFA's ethics committee after an official complaint was made in a letter to the committee signed by 11 heads of Caribbean federations. The letter said Blazer made "…statements of contempt and slander that served to impugn the integrity, discriminate against and infringe upon the personal rights…" of CONCACAF members. A further excerpt from the letter reads, “[Blazer] discriminated against certain members of the Concacaf through his contemptuous and denigratory words since all the persons who were singled out were of a specific race.”
On August 10th, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee “...decided to ban Lisle Austin from taking part in any football-related activity (administrative, sports or any other) for a period of one year for lodging a claim related to football matters…” and until such time as he withdrew his civil suit against CONCACAF.
On Sunday August 14, 2011, Football journalist Andrew Jennings
Andrew Jennings
-Biography:Jennings was born in Scotland and as a child moved to London, England. He is the grandson of a former Clapton Orient player. Jennings worked for the Sunday Times Insight team in the late 1960s, after which he worked for other British newspapers before becoming an investigative reporter...
noted in the UK Independent, that the FBI is examining documentary evidence revealing confidential football payments to offshore accounts operated by Chuck Blazer.[8] Specifically, Jennings cites that Blazer accepted $2million in commissions from marketing deals in 2010.
On August 16th, Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
reported that the FBI confirmed it was examining documents recording more than $500,000 in payments made by the Caribbean Football Union to Blazer.