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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