Is this a shocker? I don't think so. But news out of Argentina is that the Copa America Centenario is in jeopardy. We have this from one of CONMEBOL's top executives, in this case Argentine Jose Luis Meiszner – the confed's General Secretary. "Hoy por hoy hay que ponerle un extraordinario interrogante a la posibilidad de jugar esa copa." He added "el presidente de una de esas confederaciones está detenido, las empresas titulares de derechos tienen bloqueado los fondos, se interrumpió la posibilidad de cobro y pago".
I will translate
Right now we would have to put a gigantic question mark on the possibility of even playing the tournament. One of the Confed Presidents is under indictment and the company that holds the marketing rights has had their assets frozen.
As you know, the FBI indicted enough CONCACAF, CONMEBOL and marketing company officials to field their own soccer team. We can call them Ladrones United. I wrote last week that the fallout from the convictions and indictments would endanger the playing of this tournament.
No host cities have been announced, not all marketing rights have been secured, and according to the 164 page indictment report, only $40MM of the promised $110 MM in bribes have been paid. With a year to go, they got a lottta work to do.
I put the chances of cancelling at 70% today, but as Meiszner said, the situation is very fluid. What a bout y'all?
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