Swiss authorities investigating the bidding processes for the 2018
and 2022 FIFA World Cups say there could be as many as 53 counts of
money laundering involved.
The Swiss attorney general Michael Lauber addressed reporters on
Wednesday, three weeks after the initial investigation was launched.
Russia and Qatar were awarded the rights to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups in controversial circumstances in December 2010.
Lauber described the case as "huge and complex" and hasn't ruled out
interviewing Sepp Blatter and Jerome Valcke, though the pair are not
currently under investigation.
He refused to give any details of a timeframe for the case to be
concluded but is prepared to strip either country of hosting rights for
the 2018 and 2022 World Cups if more evidence of corruption comes to
light.
"We note positively that banks in Switzerland did fulfil their duties to file suspicious activity reports," said Lauber.
"Partly in addition to 104 banking relations already known to the
authorities, banks announced 53 suspicious banking relations via the
anti-money-laundering framework of Switzerland.
"I don't mind if this has some collateral [damage] somewhere else.
"I don't care about the timetable of FIFA. I care very much about my own timetable which I can't disclose.
"The world of football needs to be patient. By its nature, this investigation will take more than the legendary 90 minutes."
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