Fifa has filed a criminal complaint against former president Sepp Blatter regarding museum funding in Zurich, Switzerland.
The complaint is about Blatter and other former officials’ involvement in the Fifa museum project. This is the latest allegation of financial impropriety against Blatter, who resigned from his position of president in 2015 amid a corruption scandal.
The 84-year-old has always denied any wrongdoing.
Fifa, the governing body of world football, says Blatter’s previous administration cost them 500m Swiss francs (£ 420m) to renovate “a building that the organization does not own”, while also “locking itself in a season rental agreement” long on unfavorable terms ”.
“Given the huge costs involved with this museum, as well as a general way of working by the previous Fifa management, a forensic examination was carried out to find out what actually happened here,” said Alasdair Bell, Fifa’s deputy secretary general ( administration).
“That audit revealed a wide range of suspicious circumstances and control failures, some of which may be criminal in nature and need to be properly investigated by the relevant authorities.
“We concluded that we had no option other than to report the case to state prosecutors, not least because Fifa’s current management also has fiduciary responsibilities to the organization and we intend to live up to them, even if it is’ those before us have failed dismally. ”
The complaint has been sent to Zurich’s prosecutor, and Fifa says it will “continue to co-operate with the authorities in Switzerland and elsewhere so that those who have damaged football are held accountable for their actions ”.
The museum project began in 2013, two years before Blatter, who was Fifa’s president for 17 years, announced his resignation.
In response, Blatter’s lawyer, Lorenz Erni, says Fifa’s allegations are “baseless and mercilessly reprimanded”.
Blatter is currently introducing a six-year ban on all forms of football. (BBC Sport)