FIFA probes Blatter

Football's global governing body has opened ethics proceedings against its own president, Sepp Blatter, in a widening bribery scandal only days before presidential elections.

FIFA said Blatter must submit a statement by Saturday and attend an ethics committee hearing on Sunday.

His election rival, Mohamed bin Hammam, who requested that Blatter be investigated in the affair, is also to be heard by the committee on Sunday.

Alleged ethics violations

Bin Hammam's request came after Wednesday's announcement by FIFA that it was investigating bribery allegations against Bin Hammam and vice president Jack Warner.

Bin Hammam, who is the president of the Asian Football Confederation, is being investigated for possible violations of FIFA's ethics code at a May meeting with Caribbean soccer leaders in Warner's home country of Trinidad.

British media reports said Bin Hammam and Warner are accused of offering cash gifts to national associations at the meeting in return for the votes in the FIFA poll.

Bin Hammam in turn alleges that Blatter broke ethics rules by not reporting the apparent corruption attempts. In a statement issued on Thursday, he also claimed that the accusations against him were part of a plan to force him to withdraw as a candidate for the FIFA presidency.

Upcoming election

The election of the FIFA president is to take place on June 1.

FIFA has faced several corruption allegations in recent months, one regarding the election of hosts for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Two executives were suspended ahead of the vote in which Russia (2018) and Qatar (2022) were picked.

Further bribery allegations have been made against six other officials in connection with the same vote.

Author: Timothy Jones (dpa, Reuters, AFP)
Editor: Nicole Goebel