FIFA President reported to Zürich prosecutor
Friday, May 10, 2002
Article summary
Five FIFA vice-presidents and six other FIFA Executive Committee members have filed a formal complaint against Joseph S. Blatter.
Article body
Five FIFA vice-presidents and six other members of the FIFA Executive Committee have filed a formal complaint against the FIFA President, Joseph S. Blatter, with the First Prosecutor in the Swiss city of Zürich.
FIFA General Secretary’s report
The five vice-presidents – David Will, Lennart Johansson, Issa Hayatou, Dr Antonio Matarrese and Dr Mong-Joon Chung – said in a statement issued on Friday that the step had been taken in light of the report presented by FIFA general secretary Michel Zen-Ruffinen to the FIFA Executive Committee on 3 May.
'Numerous irregularities'
The statement said: "This report has shown numerous irregularities which exist within FIFA, and various non-constitutional decisions taken by the FIFA President, some of which may constitute criminal acts under the Swiss penal code."
'No choice'
"The refusal of the FIFA President to resign his post, despite the evidence before the Executive Committee, left us with no choice but to retain the services of a Swiss law firm," added the statement. "We have now been advised that the facts brought forward by the FIFA general secretary most likely do constitute various criminal offences and that we are obliged to refer these to the appropriate authorities."
'Legal responsibility'
"We take no pleasure in proceeding in this way," the statement continued, "but as members of the controlling body of FIFA we have a legal responsibility to the FIFA member associations and a possible personal liability which requires us to act."
'We cannot accept this'
"We are also led to believe that some of the money spent by the FIFA President was used to secure the votes of some national associations and it is therefore likely that the President illegally tried to influence the result of the present Presidential campaign. We cannot accept this and will advise the member associations accordingly."
'Only possible appropriate step'
The statement concluded: "We regret that a formal legal complaint is necessary but we are convinced that it is the only possible appropriate step to restore FIFA’s honour and dignity."
