Swiss Prosecutors Open Investigation Against Blatter
The latest twist in the scandal hanging over FIFA, the world’s governing body for soccer, took place in Zurich today, as a press conference with outgoing (and disgraced) President Sepp Blatter that had been scheduled after today’s Executive Committee meeting was abruptly cancelled.
Not long after the press conference was cancelled, the Swiss Attorney-General’s office announced that a criminal investigation against Blatter had been opened.
In a brief statement today, the organization stated that this had been an ongoing inquiry and they were cooperating fully:
Since 27 May 2015, 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.
The official statement from the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) detailed the charges as on “suspicion of criminal mismanagement” and “misappropriation” regarding a World Cup TV rights deal with the Caribbean Football Union under the leadership of Jack Warner.
UEFA President Michel Platini was also questioned in connection with a “disloyal payment charge of a 2 million Francs payment made to him in Platini. The payment is alleged to have been made at the expense of FIFA for work performed between 1999 and 2002.
While the timing may be entirely coincidental, the OAG’s statement that the payment was not executed until 2011 is not an insignificant fact, coming just months after Qatar had been controversially named the host for the 2022 World Cup (with Platini’s support) and right before Blatter’s re-election as FIFA President.
Opinion
It seemed only a matter of time before the scandal would implicate Blatter himself, in spite of his constant and stubborn denials that he was involved in any wrongdoing. After pledging to step down in February, it now appears that Blatter’s situation will become more and more untenable, and the timeline of his resignation may have to be bumped up.
The FBI, US Department of Justice, and Swiss Office of the Attorney-General have been peeling back the layers and confirming the suspicions of a culture of corruption running rampant at the top levels of the sport. Today’s inquiry could mark a turning point in terms conclusively proving Blatter’s hand in was in fact stuck in the cookie jar.
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For that, the sport will be better off, as this modus operandi simply cannot be allowed to continue. If Platini is involved, then it also stands to reason that other top officials at FIFA and the member confederations merit looking into as well. Guilt by association may not be fair, but there has been a clear violation of public trust by several high-ranking FIFA officials, and a full and thorough inquiry is necessary.
The body continues to explore transparency and ethics reform moves, and this process also needs to be seen through to the end with real and visible changes made. Fans and observers should not be content with seeing individuals who have been implicated hauled off in handcuffs, which only addresses the effects of corruption. The root causes have to be determined and stamped out as well.
Be careful what you wish for, Mr. Blatter……..
UPDATE
Platini has distributed a letter explaining the 2 million francs payment that has been called into question.
Platini asserts his innocence and offers reasons for the payment while disclosing the amount. What he does not address is the 9-year gap between the time his services were ostensibly rendered to/for FIFA. The timing of the payment when it did finally occur in 2011 have already been discussed above.
Meanwhile, Blatter released the following statement through his attorney Richard Cullen:
President Blatter spoke to FIFA staff today and informed the staff that he was cooperating with the authorities, reiterated that he had done nothing illegal or improper and stated that he would remain as president of FIFA. [He] on Friday shared with the Swiss authorities the fact that Mr. Platini had a valuable employment relationship with FIFA serving as an adviser to the president beginning in 1998, [and] explained to the prosecutors that the payments were valid compensation and nothing more and were properly accounted for within FIFA including the withholding of Social Security contributions.
Because of the continuing investigation President Blatter will answer no further questions at this time