Swiss authorities open criminal proceedings against FIFA president Sepp Blatter

Announcement: FIFA president Sepp Blatter will face criminal proceedings in Siwtzerland.. Photo: AP

Zurich: Swiss authorities have opened criminal proceedings against Joseph "Sepp" Blatter, the president of soccer's governing body, the country's attorney-general said in a statement on Friday.

Blatter, who has led the Zurich-based organisation for 17 years, is accused of criminal mismanagement and misappropriation, the Swiss attorney-general said.

The 79-year-old Swiss citizen is accused of signing a contract with Caribbean soccer officials "that was unfavourable for FIFA" in 2005, as well as making a "disloyal payment" of two million Swiss francs ($US2 million) to European soccer head Michel Platini, the candidate expected to replace Blatter when he steps down next year.

Prosecutors said they searched FIFA's headquarters on Friday. FIFA said it was co-operating with the investigation.

Blatter oversaw one of his final meetings in the post in the past two days. He has said he would step down next year because of opposition to his leadership.

He was in charge during a period that included allegations of corruption, suspensions of executives and the arrest earlier this year of six officials. His second-in-command, Jerome Valcke, was suspended on September 17 following allegations he sold World Cup tickets at inflated prices.

Blatter and the majority of the executive committee were at FIFA's Zurich headquarters to discuss the US and Swiss investigations as well as their own reform efforts, which will be presented to the entire membership in December.

US attorney-general Loretta Lynch warned this month that she may seek more arrests, and FIFA's own compliance head Domenico Scala has urged the leaders to enact term limits and make disclosures on salaries to bring transparency to the organization.

Nellin McIntosh, a spokeswoman for the US attorney's office in Brooklyn, declined to say whether the US was investigating Blatter, Platini or the alleged bribe. Prosecutors in Brooklyn are overseeing the US corruption case unsealed in May against nine international soccer officials and five corporate executives.

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