Swiss prosecutors open investigation into FIFA head Blatter

Published September 25, 2015 10:56pm

ZURICH - Swiss prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into Sepp Blatter, the head of world soccer body FIFA, on suspicion of criminal mismanagement and misappropriation, the Swiss attorney general's office said on Friday.

Blatter was interrogated after a meeting of FIFA's executive committee in Zurich, and authorities carried out a search at FIFA headquarters on Friday.

"The office of the FIFA President has been searched and data seized," the office of the attorney general (OAG) said in a statement.

U.S. and Swiss authorities announced in May they were investigating corruption at the highest levels of the world's most popular sport, including in the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 world cups to Russia and Qatar.

Fourteen soccer officials and sports marketing executives were indicted at that time, but until Friday authorities had not pointed the finger at Blatter, the 79-year-old Swiss who has run FIFA since 1998.

He has denied wrongdoing.

Blatter was questioned by the OAG's representatives and Michel Platini, the former French soccer star who runs European soccer body UEFA, was also asked to give information, the statement said.

Platini is favourite to win the election to replace Blatter when he steps down in February.

The statement said that Blatter was suspected of a "disloyal payment" of 2 million Swiss francs ($2.05 million) to Platini at the expense of FIFA, allegedly made for work performed between January 1999 and June 2002.

The payment was executed in February 2011, the OAG said.

A spokeswoman for U.S. prosecutors declined to comment.

FIFA statement

FIFA said on Friday it would continue to cooperate with Swiss authorities, shortly after Swiss prosecutors announced they had opened a criminal investigation into the global soccer body's president, Sepp Blatter.

"Since 27 May 2015, FIFA has been cooperating with the Office of the Swiss Attorney General (OAG) and has complied with all requests for documents, data and other information. We will continue this level of cooperation throughout the investigation," Zurich-based FIFA said in a statement.

"Today, at the home of FIFA, representatives from the Office of the Swiss Attorney General conducted interviews and gathered documents pursuant to its investigation. FIFA facilitated these interviews as part of our ongoing cooperation."

Preps for extraordinary FIFA Congress

News of Blatter's prosecution came to public light as FIFA's executive committee members arrived for the second and last day of meetings in Zurich, Switzerland on Friday (September 25) where the key discussion point is the approval of the agenda for the extraordinary FIFA Congress on February 26 next year.

The committee also will be given an update on the second of two reform processes which began in May after FIFA was plunged into the worst crisis in its 111-year history.

Soccer's governing body has been in turmoil since 14 sports marketing executives and soccer officials, including several from FIFA, were indicted in the United States on bribery, money laundering and wire fraud charges.

Seven of those accused were arrested by Swiss police in a dawn raid on a luxury Zurich hotel on May 27, two days before the FIFA Congress where Sepp Blatter was re-elected for as president a fifth term.

As pressure mounted on FIFA, Blatter made a shock announcement in early June that he would step down at an extraordinary Congress which will take place on February 26 in Zurich.

Last week, the problems took another twist when FIFA put secretary general Jerome Valcke on leave and requested a formal investigation into allegations against him. His duties have been taken over by his deputy Markus Kattner. — Reuters

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