Chuck Blazer, a former member of FIFA’s executive committee and ex-CONCACAF general secretary, was given a lifelong ban from all football-related activity by FIFA following an investigation into his illegal activity while he was part of the organization, which included accepting bribes and tax evasion.
Blazer was the second highest official in FIFA’s North and Central American and Caribbean region, which is called CONCACAF, from 1990 to 2011. He was also a part of FIFA’s executive committee between 1997 and 2013.
In 2013, Blazer pleaded guilty to 10 charges, including bribery, money laundering and tax evasion. Documents show that Blazer had been working undercover with prosecutors in the United States to expose other illegal activity happening with FIFA officials since 2011.
He admitted that he and other FIFA officials accepted bribes so that South Africa would be selected as the 2010 World Cup host. He said bribes were also a factor in the 1998 World Cup.
The New York Daily News reported in 2014 that Blazer had a wire with him concealed in a key fob during meetings with FIFA executives at the 2012 Olympics.
FIFA released a statement about Blazer’s lifelong ban saying Blazer "committed many and various acts of misconduct."
The statement added, “The decision was taken on the basis of investigations carried out by the investigatory chamber of the ethics committee in response to the final report of the CONCACAF integrity committee and the latest facts presented by the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.”
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