Swiss prosecutors to drop one case against former FIFA chief Blatter
ZURICH: Switzerland’s federal prosecutor is about to end its investigation into former FIFA President Sepp Blatter’s deals with the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) to sell World Cup broadcasting rights.
The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) said it has informed all the parties of its intention to close the case and was seeking ways to end it.
“We confirm the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland …considers the criminal investigation into the partial facts and allegations concerning the contractual relationship with the CFU to be complete and ready for conclusion,” it said in a statement. The OAG “intends to discontinue the proceedings”, it added, giving no reason for the decision.
As a result, Blatter, who is currently serving a six-year ban from football-related activities over ethics violations, will not be prosecuted for the matter which relates to selling TV rights for World Cup tournaments too cheaply.
The 84-year-old Swiss, who led FIFA until 2015, was accused of selling TV rights to the CFU for the 2010 and 2014 World Cups for $600,000, seen as far below the market value at the time.
A spokesman for Blatter said he had not heard anything officially but had no reason to doubt the media reports.
In a second criminal case, Blatter is accused of having arranged a payment of two million Swiss francs to the then UEFA President Michel Platini in February 2011.
The investigation in this case is not affected by its intentions to end the first case, the OAG said. - Reuters