VOA慢速英语2015 国际足联主席布拉特辞职

AS IT IS 2015-06-03 FIFA President Sepp Blatter Resigns 国际足联主席布拉特辞职

Four days after his election to a fifth term as FIFA president, Sepp Blatter has resigned. The head of the soccer organization made the surprise announcement on Tuesday as charges of corruption¹ against FIFA continued to grow.

Mr. Blatter was re-elected last week in Zurich, Switzerland. That was two days after the U.S. Justice Department had brought corruption charges against 14 people connected to FIFA. The U.S. says FIFA was running a criminal organization that involved more than $150 million in bribes³. And Swiss officials said they are investigating how FIFA awarded the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the 2022 event to Qatar.

Since the election new developments have surfaced.

The head of the South African soccer organization admitted Sunday that FIFA had made a $10 million payment in 2008 to the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football. But he said it was not a bribe². Two years after that payment, South Africa hosted the 2010 World Cup, the first finals ever held in Africa.

On Monday, news organizations, including The New York Times and the Guardian⁴, reported that FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke had approved the payment. Mr. Valcke is the second-ranked official in FIFA under Mr. Blatter.

U.S. officials say former FIFA vice-president Jack⁵ Warner took the $10 million payment from South Africa for personal use. Mr. Warner spoke⁶ to reporters after his release from jail. He had this to say, “No one has brought more shame to FIFA than Blatter himself.”

The 79-year-old Mr. Blatter spoke at a news conference about his decision to step down. He said, “FIFA needs a profound restructuring.”  Mr. Blatter said he will continue to keep his job as president until the election for a new president.

Just days earlier, in the same room, Mr. Blatter had been defiant⁷ when questioned about FIFA’s problems, and the possibility that he, too, could be arrested.

The new elections will take place sometime between December and March.

Some observers said it was just a matter of time before President Blatter would be forced to step down. That is because of the serious charges against some of the people who served directly below him in FIFA.

Chris Eaton is Executive Director of Sport Integrity at the International Centre for Sport Security in Doha, Qatar. He told VOA Mr. Blatter resigned because there was something hanging over him.

“It’s clear to me that this resignation would not be made in the absence of something that has significantly occurred, since his re-election recently. So there is something, I’m sure, that will come out in the fullness of time about why he’s resigned.”

But before his resignation, Mr. Blatter was also getting support. One of the greatest soccer players the sport has ever seen, Pele, had expressed his support of Sepp Blatter. He said he had been in favor of his re-election. Pele, who helped Brazil win three World Cups, said it was better to have someone with experience.

However, business sponsors had said they were reviewing their support of FIFA after the corruption charges. They include Visa, Budweiser, Adidas, McDonald’s and Coca-Cola.

Chris Eaton had strong words about the way FIFA has operated. He called FIFA a “private club operating a sport monopoly.” Then, Mr. Eaton said,  “it’s time for them to grow up.” 

Words in This Story

corruption – n. dishonest or illegal behavior especially by powerful people

bribe –n. something valuable (such as money) that is given in order to get someone to do something

defiant- adj. refuse to obey someone or something

monopoly –n. complete ownership or control

1 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

2 bribe   

n.贿赂；v.向…行贿，买通

参考例句：

• He tried to bribe the policeman not to arrest him.他企图贿赂警察不逮捕他。
• He resolutely refused their bribe.他坚决不接受他们的贿赂。

3 bribes   

n.贿赂( bribe的名词复数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂v.贿赂( bribe的第三人称单数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• corrupt officials accepting bribes 接受贿赂的贪官污吏

4 guardian   

n.监护人；守卫者，保护者

参考例句：

• The form must be signed by the child's parents or guardian. 这张表格须由孩子的家长或监护人签字。
• The press is a guardian of the public weal. 报刊是公共福利的卫护者。

5 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

6 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

7 defiant   

adj.无礼的，挑战的

参考例句：

• With a last defiant gesture,they sang a revolutionary song as they were led away to prison.他们被带走投入监狱时，仍以最后的反抗姿态唱起了一支革命歌曲。
• He assumed a defiant attitude toward his employer.他对雇主采取挑衅的态度。