US prosecutors Tuesday set a February 2017 target date for the start of the huge FIFA corruption trial that has ensnared dozens of world football's top executives. "The proposed schedule set forth below contemplates that jury selection would commence on February 27, 2017," prosecutor Robert Capers wrote in a letter late Monday to federal Judge Raymond Dearie, who is presiding in the case. Under the proposed schedule, evidence in the case would have to be submitted to the court by June 30 of this year, to give both defense and prosecution attorneys time to prepare their cases. Motions in the case would be presented through the end of January. All told, 40 people have been charged in the massive corruption scandal, which first came to light in May 2015. Fifteen have already pleaded guilty. Most of the accused are top football officials from the Americas, as well as sports marketing executives. Nigeria faces suspension Nigeria faces being suspended by FIFA for the third time since 2010 over a court ruling that ordered the removal of the head of the national soccer federation. FIFA said Tuesday it had sent a letter to the Nigerian Football Federation warning that if the ruling is implemented, it would be considered "interference." FIFA doesn't allow outside authorities to interfere in the running of soccer federations. If NFF President Amaju Pinnick is removed, "the case would be brought to the highest authorities of FIFA for consideration of sanctions, including the suspension of the NFF," FIFA said in a statement to The Associated Press. Should the NFF be suspended, Nigeria wouldn't be allowed to play in any international competitions. Nigeria was briefly suspended by FIFA in 2010 and again in 2014 for government interference. The high court in the central city of Jos ruled last week that a 2014 NFF election, won by Pinnick and ratified by FIFA, should be nullified and a rival faction led by Chris Giwa should be put in charge of the federation. Giwa's faction had reportedly now taken over the federation offices. The NFF has often been embroiled in problems. Even before Pinnick's election, the previous NFF president was arrested and removed from his position against FIFA's rules. He was reinstated after Nigeria was suspended by FIFA for nine days in July 2014. Giwa protested Pinnick's election later that year. The rivals reached a temporary truce when then-Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan intervened in the dispute. The NFF filed an appeal against the latest Jos court order, it said in a statement. NFF vice president Seyi Akinwunmi called the situation "a sad one, primarily because we have enjoyed a period of peace."
