FIFA President Sepp Blatter Under Criminal Investigation by Swiss Authorities

By Christian Radnedge

Criminal proceedings have been opened against FIFA president Sepp Blatter, Swiss prosectuors announced on Friday.

The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland released a statement in which the news was confirmed that Blatter was being scrutinised “on suspicion of criminal mismanagement”.

The confirmation came shortly after a FIFA executive committee meeting in at the organisation’s headquarters in Zurich.

The world’s media was in attendance ready for a press conference with Blatter that was due to take place after the meeting, but which was cancelled five minutes before the start time.

Blatter was himself interrogated by Swiss Attorney General Michael Lauber. The allegations include a “disloyal” payment of CHF 2m to UEFA president Michel Platini – who is running to succeed Blatter as FIFA president at an extraordinary congress in February of next year.

FIFA’s executive committee earlier approved the dates of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The tournament will begin on November 18 and finish with the final on December 18.

Full statement from Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland:

The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) has opened criminal proceedings against the President of Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) on suspicion of criminal mismanagement as well as – alternatively – on suspicion of misappropriation.

Swiss criminal proceedings against the President of FIFA, Mr. Joseph Blatter, have been opened on 24 September 2015 on suspicion of criminal mismanagement (Article 158 Swiss Criminal Code / SCC) and – alternatively – misappropriation (Article 138 Swiss Criminal Code / SCC).

On the one hand, the OAG suspects that on 12 September 2005 Mr. Joseph Blatter has signed a contract with the Caribbean Football Union (with Jack Warner as the President at this time); this contract was unfavorable for FIFA. On the other hand, there is as suspicion that, in the implementation of this agreement, Joseph Blatter also violated his fiduciary duties and acted against the interest of FIFA and/or FIFA Marketing & TV AG.

Additionally, Mr. Joseph Blatter is suspected of a disloyal payment of CHF 2 Mio. to Michel Platini, President of Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), at the expense of FIFA, which was allegedly made for work performed between January 1999 and June 2002 ; this payment was executed in February 2011.

On 25 September 2015, representatives of the OAG interrogated the defendant Joseph Blatter following a meeting of the FIFA Executive Committee. At the same time, Michel Platini was heard as a person asked to provide information (Article 178 of the Swiss Code of Criminal Procedure).

Furthermore, the OAG conducted on 25 September 2015 a house search at FIFA Headquarters with the support of the Federal Criminal Police. The office of the FIFA President has been searched and data seized.
As for all defendants, the presumption of innocence applies for Mr. Joseph Blatter.