FIFA officials have ended up with the eggs in their faces as MasterCard were awarded an injunction against the global football governing body's plan for a new sponsorship deal with rival VISA.
US District Court judge Loretta Preska ruled that MasterCard has the right to sponsor the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, saying FIFA cannot breach a deal that gave MasterCard first right to buy sponsorship rights.
Preska found that FIFA "lied repeatedly to MasterCard" and played both credit card firms for fools, falsely telling Visa that MasterCard had no right of first refusal yet giving Visa details of talks with MasterCard.
"FIFA witnesses at trial boldly characterized their breaches as 'white lies,' 'commercial lies,' 'bluffs,' and ironically 'the game,'" the ruling stated.
FIFA's comeback - "We will appeal....."
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