The
Swiss attorney general has launched criminal proceedings against FIFA
President Sepp Blatter over suspicions he violated his duties as head of
football’s world governing body.
Authorities said on Friday that the outgoing FIFA chief was interrogated over suspected criminal mismanagement.
FIFA cancelled a news conference
scheduled with Blatter without explanation on Friday, just hours before
the proceedings against him were announced.
Blatter was set to meet the international media at FIFA headquarters after a two-day executive committee meeting.
The Swiss federal office said Blatter was interrogated after chairing the meeting.
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FIFA
vice president Michel Platini was questioned as a witness over a
“disloyal payment” of 2 million Swiss francs ($2.05m) he received from
Blatter in February 2011, Swiss authorities said, according to the
Associated Press news agency.
The FIFA chief was facing accusations he
misappropriated funds and violated his duties as the head of world
football’s governing body, the AFP news agency reported.
“There is a suspicion that…Joseph
Blatter also violated his fiduciary duties” to FIFA in connection with a
contract with the Caribbean Football Union, a statement from
Switzerland’s attorney general’s office said.
Al Jazeera’s sports correspondent Lee
Wellings said information Swiss authorities released tied the
proceedings with the case against former FIFA vice-president Jack
Warner, who is wanted by Interpol for corruption.
“The name Jack Warner, the former
disgraced FIFA vice-President comes up…accused of signing a contract to
do a deal that didn’t work for FIFA, or were in FIFA’s interests in
2005,” Wellings said.
Title : Switzerland opens criminal case against Blatter
Description : The Swiss attorney general has launched criminal proceedings against FIFA President Sepp Blatter over suspicions he violated his duties...
