In a sudden turn of events, FIFA cancelled a press conference of its president Sepp Blatter on Friday. The world football body announced in one of its media statements that it is cooperating with the office of the Swiss Attorney General as they are carrying out criminal proceedings against Blatter.
Blatter has also been accused of bribing UEFA president Michel Platini in 2011.
Blatter is being questioned by the Swiss attorney general's representatives. The office of the attorney general also released a statement which said Blatter is under the scanner "on suspicion of criminal mismanagement as well as - alternatively - on suspicion of misappropriation".
Here's what the FIFA statement said:
"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 statement says.
The FIFA president had earlier promised that he will step down from his post after a number of allegations that were brought against him from several corruption claims to a $100m "World Cup of fraud", reported The Guardian.
Blatter was supposed to address the media about the FIFA World Cup 2022 and the media professionals were kept waiting at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich for almost an hour. Five minutes prior to the start of the press conference, FIFA cancelled the event and asked the reporters to leave the premises.
The Swiss laws @SeppBlatter is suspected of breaking: pic.twitter.com/q5TNOV2BYJ
— Ben Rumsby (@ben_rumsby) September 25, 2015
Swiss law enforcement says UEFA's Michel Platini provided evidence to Swiss authorities in Blatter investigation — RTÉ News (@rtenews) September 25, 2015
Could it be that Blatter may be going down and trying to take Platini with him?
— Ben Rumsby (@ben_rumsby) September 25, 2015
This is what the Swiss attorney general's office stated in a media release:
"Swiss criminal proceedings against the President of FIFA, Mr. Joseph Blatter, have been opened on 24 September 2015 on suspicion of criminal mismanagement...and - alternatively - misappropriation.
"There is as suspicion that...Joseph Blatter also violated his fiduciary duties to FIFA in connection with a contract with the Caribbean Football Union."
