Updated 16.15
THE SWISS ATTORNEY GENERAL has opened criminal proceedings against Fifa president Sepp Blatter “on suspicion of criminal mismanagement as well as – alternatively – on suspicion of misappropriation”.
The Swiss authorities have also revealed that Blatter’s office has been searched and data seized and he was interrogated earlier today after a meeting of the Fifa Executive Committee.
The FIFA HQ in Zurich was also searched by members of the Attorney General’s office, with the support of the Federal Criminal Police.
The 79-year-old had already cancelled a much-anticipated press conference in Zurich with no reason given – something which aroused plenty of suspicion.
Meanwhile, Uefa president Michel Platini spoke to authorities after being asked to provide information.
The authorities are investigating two specific transactions.
In September 2005, they believe Blatter signed a contract with the Caribbean Football Union (with disgraced, former Fifa executive committee member Jack Warner as the organisation’s president at the time).
The contract is described by the authorities as ‘unfavourable for Fifa’. They believe Blatter went against the interests of the world football governing body and/or Fifa’s commercial side by participating in the agreement.
Also, Swiss authorities say Blatter is suspected of a ‘disloyal payment’ of 2 million Swiss francs to Platini (who is standing for Fifa president next February) in February 2011.
The payment was allegedly made for work carried out between January 1999 and June 2002.
It remains to be seen how his involvement in all of this may impact Platini’s run for Fifa office.
This latest news has sent reverberations around the football community.
Blatter, in the Fifa high-chair since 1998, has withstood a litany of controversies throughout his presidency and managed to survive.
But earlier this year, Swiss police raided a Zurich hotel and arrested a litany of top Fifa officials and football-related figures. It was later revealed that the governing body was at the centre of two investigations – one from local authorities and the other led by the US Department of Justice.
One of those arrested at the time was Jeffrey Webb – a younger and well-regarded Fifa member, a Blatter supporter, a vice-president of the organisation and widely seen as Blatter’s potential successor.
Still, Blatter stood unopposed in the presidential election which followed but then performed a spectacular U-turn, announcing his intention to walk away at the next Fifa congress which was eventually fixed for February 2016.
Bit by bit, the empire he has built has slowly crumbled, with a collection of well-worn, long-term Fifa faces forced to step away.
The latest of these, Jerome Valcke, was Blatter’s right-hand man but was suspended until further notice last week after allegations of corruption.
Fifa have issued the following statement in response to today’s events:
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.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.
We will have no further comment on the matter as it is an active investigation.”
best football news ever.
I know this can seem like great news, but have a Google for the Newstalk podcast from a few months back, when sepp made his shock announcement after being reelected – Tim Vickery and Philippe Auclair were discussing it. It was a fascinating insight.
Both lads (who are really well informed) don’t feel Blatter is the source of the problems in world football and those waiting in the shadows hoping for Sepp to go are far more dangerous…
If Sepp is guilty of the charges, so be it, but I’d worry about who will likely appear next… remember, a Jordanian Prince was literally the best that UEFA could propose as an alternative to Blatter. Heck, Platini voted for Qatar…
http://www.newstalk.com/podcasts/Off_The_Ball/The_Off_the_Ball_Football_Show/91607/2/Sepp_Blatter_Resigns_
Auclair is on brilliant form in this podcast.
Sepps not so bad when you consider that the replacement may possibly be worse. Did he come up with that himself?
is this the 3 foot swamp rat that needs a home.??? the journal got the pics mixed up.
@Ciaran
The lads might very well be right but the animosity aimed towards Blatter is the fact that he is obsessed with power. FIFA for a many number of years have been seen to be corrupt, what’s worse is that he has time after time defended the organization and his role within it. His personal credibility is shot, to save it he should have resigned long ago saying there is something rotten in FIFA but he has held the smokescreen over the corruption because he liked all the glamour that came with the job.
My only regret is that he is now to old to feel the full effects of his deceit.
Jim, just do yourself a favour and listen to the podcast. I used to think of Sepp sat in a spinning chair petting a cat like the villain of the piece too, but honestly, if you think he’s the problem, I think your view is far too narrow.
FIFA does an enormous amount of good, despite some evil members and despite the fact that if a decent player or team appears anywhere outside of Europe, they get gobbled up away from there and hoarded in UEFA. Just think about that for a moment, do we hate FIFA because the take money from Europe and give it to the nations who have nothing?
I’m not saying it’s all well spent or that there isn’t corruption but I’d damned well sooner see 50k go to a club in Trinidad and Tobago than to Stephen Ireland each week to pimp out his girlfriends Bentley!
@Stephen, I take your point, but this is a global entity, it’s huge, you don’t get to the top of FIFA if you aren’t obsessed with power. Frankly I thinks it’s a job requirement.
Blatter has control over FIFA which has its problems, but it’s the local FAs which are most rife with corruption and detached from reality. I mean, how much is Mr Delano paying himself these days?
@CIaran
Definitely agree on the local FA’s. Completely corrupt, and apologies for the generalization but I think it’s mostly in the areas of africa or pacific where scrutiny of payments is less that other areas.
And your point that every country gets the same amount of money regardless of football playing size, could be seen as the cause of the corruption.
Small nation gets loads of money, head of the FA there siphons off from the top for his personal use with impunity, Blatter says this system will keep going if you vote for him every time?
Also agree that FIFA do very good work around the world which is rarely highlighted.
I hope the FAI will send Sepp a video of them laughing at the guilty verdict just as he laughed at us when France cheated us out if a place at the world cup!
Correct. Blatter is a despicable corrupt POS but all the others seem even worse. A Jordanian Prince is going to improve things? And Platini is probably even more corrupt that Blatter. Reeks corruption even from looking at him.
FIFA don’t give a damn about the poorer countries. They shove money their way and have a voting system where Valuatu has the same value as Germany. The whole idea being to use them to sustain power. I agree about Stephen Ireland but most of the money going to the THird World ends up in the pockets of local ‘administrators’.
Full Blatter and full pockets
Ciaran. I wouldn’t only say power, the greed in these people who get to the top of Any big Enterprise can’t wait to put their hands inn the till. Pure GREED
Waiting a very long time for this moment.
Up your Swiss Sepp.
Couldn’t happen to a nicer bag of shite.
Great News
Good. About time.
little weasel
time to put the step ladder away
Took their time. Hopefully they gathered every possible shred of corruption this bell end done and throw the book at him..
One small step by Swiss authorities, one giant leap for world football. (hopefully)
The Death Penalty. “They have asked for that – really!”
This could be good…….
He should start watching prison break…
Well it’s about fu ck ing time…
I fuppin love comeuppance
About time
All the best in the slammer Sepp,
Regards
PP
SHOCK
Delighted for him
Follow the money.
Ok I care about football again, great stuff
Tip of the iceberg. About time.
innocent until proven guilty…