FIFA President Sepp Blatter and UEFA President Michel Platini, who was favorite to succeed the FIFA president until a dramatic intervention by the Swiss attorney general, are both now understood to be under formal investigation by FIFA’s independent ethics committee "and could be suspended within days," according to Owen Gibson of the London GUARDIAN. If Platini was provisionally suspended while FIFA’s investigation continued to look into the issues raised by the Swiss attorney general when criminal proceedings were opened against Blatter on Friday, "he would be automatically ruled out of the presidential race." Platini, who cooperated with Swiss investigators by answering questions on a 2M Swiss francs payment from Blatter, that was said to be made to the detriment of the world governing body, has said that he was owed the money from a contract with FIFA between '99 and '02 "but has not explained why it took nine years for the invoice to be paid." It is understood that FIFA investigators, headed by Cornel Borbély, have "formally opened files on both men and are expected to liaise with the Swiss attorney general." They "will interrogate both Blatter and Platini before deciding within days whether to issue a provisional suspension." One source said there was “no way” Platini, who fell out with the long-standing FIFA president when he reneged on an agreement to step down in '11, could stand if he was suspended (GUARDIAN, 9/26). In London, Draper, Harris & Warsaw wrote Platini insists he did nothing wrong in pocketing the cash, sanctioned by Blatter, saying that "it was money he was owed for work he did as the president’s special adviser on football matters" between '99 and '02. That the money was not paid for another nine years, "has led to serious questions about whether there was a hidden agenda, possibly to buy the support of Platini" who by '11 had become head of UEFA. A source close to the Frenchman said that "he emphatically denies that the money was an inducement or reward for not challenging Blatter in the 2011 FIFA presidential race." But the ethics committee source said, "He is in real danger. It’s a total nightmare for him. Possibly even a bigger disaster than for Blatter because he wants to be the future president" (DAILY MAIL, 9/26).
HAYATOU COULD STEP IN: REUTERS' Simon Evans wrote complicating the Blatter situation "is that he has already stated he will leave office when a new FIFA president is elected on Feb. 26." If he were to be removed before then, Cameroon's Issa Hayatou would, as the most senior VP, "take charge temporarily." With FIFA grappling with various reform proposals before the February congress, the ascension of Hayatou, who is viewed by some within the football body as reluctant to embrace change, "could be perceived by some as creating an obstacle for reforms." FIFA "declined to comment further on the Blatter case when contacted on Saturday." Blatter's Swiss lawyers "did not immediately respond to a request for comment" (REUTERS, 9/27).
LUNCH DATE: In London, Jonathan Calvert wrote documents from The Sunday Times FIFA Files show Platini flew to Kuala Lumpur on January 29, 2011 "to have lunch" with Mohamed Bin Hammam." A source who is a close friend of the Qatari said, “Bin Hammam was tired of Blatter breaking his pledges to step down and he wanted to find a viable candidate to stand against him. So he was pushing Platini to be a candidate in the presidency election which was due to take place in June that year." Platini "had initially agreed to give the proposal some thought but by March 2011 he had decided not to take on Blatter." The source added. "As a result, Bin Hammam decided that he himself would have to stand against Blatter. He didn’t like doing it because he preferred to be behind the scenes pulling the strings" (SUNDAY TIMES, 9/27). In N.Y., Sam Borden wrote the officials interrogated Blatter "at length." They "searched his office, situated five floors above the bunker, on the top floor of the headquarters, and took boxes of documents." Blatter "planned to take part in a news conference Friday afternoon to discuss the just-concluded meeting of FIFA’s executive committee." That news conference "was first delayed and then canceled," however, as Swiss investigators spent much of the afternoon interviewing Blatter "in what was described as a mostly cordial conversation." It "was the second time that Swiss authorities are known to have searched for and seized data at FIFA’s headquarters." The first "came on May 27" (N.Y. TIMES, 9/25).
SOAP OPERA: The BBC reported FA Chair Greg Dyke said FIFA is "like a soap opera," after Blatter "was questioned as part of a Swiss criminal inquiry." Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan, who stood against Blatter in the last FIFA presidential election in May and will run at the next election in February, said the developments underlined the "need for new leadership." He added, "We have to accept that changing FIFA is not a matter of choice; it has already changed, shaken to its very core by the scandals that have decimated our governing body and cast a cloud over the entire organization." Professional Footballers' Association CEO Gordon Taylor said FIFA was "not fit for purpose." He added, "If it was a school it would be under special measures" (BBC, 9/26).
POWER VACUUM: In London, Michael Calvin opined the law "will take its course, but the consequent vacuum of power in world football must be filled." The question "is by whom, and in what context?" With Blatter finally facing criminal investigation, "the endgame is upon us." FIFA "is on a life-support system overseen by lawyers." It must, at the very least, "be cleansed, restructured, and repopulated by those untainted by previous regimes." That "will be a fiendishly difficult process, resistant to quick-fix solutions." Nothing "can be taken for granted, since the delusion of normality, fostered by Blatter, ended when the Swiss authorities seized his computers and threatening another possible round of bad news." Platini "has pursued power relentlessly as a Blatter protégé." The latest developments "threaten to make him unelectable." The delicacy of his situation "certainly embarrasses" Dyke. His comments about their "good relationship" and his hope Platini "can lead a new FIFA" have been "exposed as premature and utterly naïve" (INDEPENDENT, 9/27).
