The FIFA stars who voted for Russia and Qatar

Five years ago on Wednesday, FIFA's executive committee chose Russia to host the 2018 World Cup and Qatar for 2022 in one of the most controversial votes in sporting history.

Sixteen of the 24 executive members have been suspended, arrested for bribery, or banned. Others have faced questions about their record.

Here is what happened to the 24 men who took part in the December 2, 2010 vote:

SUSPENDED

FIFA President Sepp Blatter. The 79-year-old Swiss official, who led FIFA from 1999, is suspended while Swiss authorities investigate criminal mismanagement at football's world body including payments to Michel Platini and banned member Jack Warner. He said recently the stress had nearly killed him.

DOUBTS

Senior vice president Julio Grondona was a FIFA executive member until his death in 2014 at the age of 82 having been in repeated controversy. FIFA said the Argentine football baron authorised a $10 million payment made by South Africa to Caribbean countries that US authorities believe was a bribe to secure the 2010 World Cup. Recordings released this year linked him to alleged match-fixing.

SUSPENDED
Vice-president Michel Platini. The former French football legend had been favourite to take over as president in a February election. But the UEFA leader, 60, is also suspended because of the Swiss investigation. He says the FIFA ethics watchdog wants him suspended for life.

SURVIVOR

Vice president Issa Hayatou. Now FIFA's acting president, the longtime Confederation of African Football chief once challenged Blatter for the FIFA presidency but became an ally. In 2011, the IOC reprimanded Hayatou, now 69, over payments he received from ISL, a marketing company that collapsed in 2001.

SUSPENDED

Vice president Chung Mong-Joon. The Hyundai billionaire left the FIFA executive after the 2010 vote. A FIFA critic, he declared himself a candidate for the presidency but was banned for six years in October over irregularities in South Korea's bid for the 2022 World Cup. Chung said it was a plot to prevent him from standing.

CHARGED OVER BRIBES

Vice president Jack Warner. The former Trinidad and Tobago businessman, politician and North-Central American football president is at the centre of a US inquiry into more than $150 million of bribes for contracts. He was banned from football for life in September and could soon be extradited to the United States.

FINED
Vice president Angel Maria Villar Llona. The Spanish federation chief, 65, was fined 25,000 Swiss francs ($25,000) and warned in November for failing to cooperate with the probe by FIFA corruption investigator Michael Garcia into the award of the World Cups to Russia and Qatar.

SURVIVOR

Vice president Geoff Thompson. Stepped in to lead England's failed bid for the 2018 World Cup after his predecessor made bribery allegations against Russia and Spain. Thompson left the FIFA executive in 2012.

SURVIVOR

Executive member Michel D'Hooghe of Belgium, 69, said he felt like a "murderer" after being investigated and cleared by FIFA's ethics committee over the Russia and Qatar awards. Has been an executive member since 1988.

BRIBES

Executive member Ricardo Teixeira of Brazil, former son-in-law of ex-FIFA president Joao Havelange, was named in a Swiss prosecutors' report as having taken millions of dollars from ISL. He resigned from the executive in 2012 and gave up as head of the Brazilian federation.   

LIFE BAN

Executive member Mohamed bin Hammam played a key role in securing the World Cup for Qatar. But amid media allegations that he paid officials to get votes, bin Hammam was banned for life after leaving the FIFA executive in 2012.

SURVIVOR
Executive member Senes Erzik of Turkey, 73, left the FIFA leadership this year after 19 years.

CHARGED OVER BRIBES

Executive member Chuck Blazer, 70, is now ailing with cancer having given key evidence to US prosecutors on football corruption. The former CONCACAF and US Soccer Federation leader has admitted taking bribes and named several other suspects.

SUSPENDED

Executive member Worawi Mukadi of Thailand lost his FIFA seat in May and was suspended in October while an investigation is completed. The 63-year-old had faced accusations of misusing funds and was found guilty in July by a Thai court of forgery.

CHARGED OVER BRIBES

Executive member Nicolas Leoz of Paraguay, a former president of the South American confederation Conmebol, 87, faces extradition to the United States as part of the bribes inquiry. He is held under house arrest.

SURVIVOR

Executive member Junji Ogara left FIFA in 2011 as one of the most influential people in Asian soccer.

SURVIVOR

Executive member Marios Lefkaritis of Cyprus joined the FIFA body in 2007 and is also a UEFA member.

DENIAL

Executive member Jacques Anouma, head of the Ivory Coast federation, lost his FIFA seat in May and strongly denied any involvement in bribe-taking surrounding the World Cup bids.

SUSPENDED

Executive member Franz Beckenbauer left FIFA in 2011 but was suspended from football activities in October while he is investigated by FIFA. The German football legend has denied wrongdoing over his country's campaign for the 2006 World Cup.

SURVIVOR

Executive member Rafael Salguero of Guatemala left FIFA two days after the Swiss police raids in which seven FIFA officials were detained at a Zurich hotel this year.

SURVIVOR

Executive member Hany Abo Rida of Egypt is part of the FIFA and African confederation executives and was once considered close to Qatari bin Hammam.

SURVIVOR

Executive member Vitaly Mutko, Russia's sports minister, has the task of delivering the 2018 World Cup in his country without trouble. The former Zenit St Petersburg president has also been caught in the storm over doping in Russian athletics.

SUSPENDED

Executive member Reynald Temarii of Tahiti was suspended even before the 2010 vote over vote-buying allegations. He is now serving an eight year ban for taking money from bin Hammam.
Source: AFP