FIFA says it's a 'damaged party' in case against officials

ZURICH (AP) FIFA says it welcomes the indictment of several key officials and the criminal proceedings into World Cup voting because it shows corruption is being eradicated from world soccer.

Speaking hours after the arrests, FIFA spokesman Walter de Gregorio said the governing body ''initiated this process'' by lodging a legal complaint with Swiss authorities last year.

De Gregorio says FIFA is the ''damaged party'' and the action by authorities in the U.S. and Switzerland ''can help contribute to rooting out any wrongdoing in football.''

De Gregorio said FIFA President Sepp Blatter ''is not involved'' and also ruled out a revote of the 2010 decision to award the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the 2022 tournament to Qatar.

But De Gregorio says ''I don't go into speculation what will happen tomorrow.''