U.S. jury poised to weigh international soccer’s ugly side
By BOBBY CAINA CALVAN
Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — Federal jurors in New York are preparing to start deliberations on the fates of two former Fox executives accused of paying millions of dollars in bribes to gain broadcasting rights to soccer’s biggest matches, including the World Cup. From the start, U.S. prosecutors depicted the case as about “the corruption of international soccer.” The case centered on the actions of Hernan Lopez and Carlos Martinez — and whether they bribed soccer officials to secure lucrative broadcasting rights. Regardless of the outcome, the case laid bare the continuing woes of international soccer’s governing federation, FIFA, as it works to repair its battered image.
