FIFA confirms investigations into Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini

FIFA’s investigatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee has confirmed an ongoing investigation into FIFA president Sepp Blatter and UEFA president Michel Platini.
The investigation is centered around a $2 million payment Blatter made to Platini in Feb. 2011. Platini has said the payment was part of his salary that FIFA could not afford to pay him at the time. Blatter called the deal a “gentleman’s agreement,” as no written contract was created.
On Oct. 8, Blatter and Platini were provisionally suspended by FIFA for 90 days, and both men have filed appeals. The committee looks to conclude its investigation within the 90 day period.
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The investigatory chamber also confirmed the ongoing investigation into FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke after allegations that he also misused FIFA expenses and broke other FIFA rules.
Germany’s Franz Beckenbauer and FIFA vice president Angel Maria Villar Llona are two other high ranking officials under investigation by FIFA. Beckenbauer served as a FIFA voter before Russia and Qatar were selected as the host countries for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Villar Llona was a vice president on FIFA’s executive committee since 1998. Both failed to cooperate with U.S. Attorney Michael Garcia’s ethics investigation.
FIFA officials Worawi Makudi, Jeffrey Webb, Ricardo Teixeira, Amos Adamu, Eugenio Figueredo and Nicolas Leoz also remain under investigation.
• FIFA compliance head: Blatter to Platini payment a 'conflict of interest'
Read the full statement here.
- Christopher Chavez
GALLERY: Faces of the FIFA scandal
Faces of the FIFA Scandal
Sepp Blatter
FIFA president
Jerome Valcke
FIFA general secretary
Michel Platini
UEFA president; FIFA Vice President; FIFA presidential hopeful
Jack Warner
Ex–CONCACAF president; FIFA Vice President
Jeffrey Webb
Ex–Cayman Islands federation and CONCACAF president; FIFA Vice President
Chuck Blazer
Ex-CONCACAF general secretary; FIFA executive committee
Alfredo Hawit
CONCACAF President; FIFA vice president, executive committee; Former president, Honduras football federation
Juan Angel Napout
CONMEBOL president, FIFA vice president, executive committee; Former president, Paraguay football federation
Jose Luis Meiszner
CONMEBOL general secretary
Marco Polo del Nero
Former FIFA executive committee; President, Brazil football federation
Ricardo Teixeira
Former FIFA executive committee; Former president, Brazil football federation
Eduardo Li
Ex–Costa Rica federation president; FIFA, CONCACAF executive committees
Eugenio Figueredo
Ex–Uruguay federation and CONMEBOL president; FIFA Vice President
Jose Maria Marin
Ex–Brazil federation president; CONMEBOL executive committee
Rafael Salguero
Former FIFA executive committee; Former president, Guatemalan football federation
Manuel Burga
FIFA development committee; Former president, Peru football federation
Ariel Alvarado
Former president, Panama football federation; FIFA disciplinary committee
Eduardo Deluca
Former CONMEBOL, Argentina football federation general secretary
Luís Chiriboga
CONMEBOL executive committee; President, Ecuador football federation
Rafael Callejas
FIFA television and marketing committee; Former president, Honduras; Former president, Honduras football federation
Rafael Esquivel
Ex–Venezuela federation president; CONMEBOL executive committee
Carlos Chavez
CONMEBOL treasurer; Former president, Bolivia football federation
Nicolas Leoz
Ex–CONMEBOL president, FIFA executive committee
Julio Rocha
Ex–Nicaragua federation and Central American Football Union president
Romer Osuna
FIFA audit and compliance committee; Former CONMEBOL treasurer.
Alejandro Burzaco
CEO of Torneos y Competencias
Aaron Davidson
President, Traffic Sports USA
Hugo Jinkis
President, Full Play Group
Mariano Jinkis
Vice President, Full Play Group
Loretta Lynch
U.S. Attorney General
Michael Lauber
Switzerland Attorney General
