French prosecutors have "opened an investigation into potential corruption" relating to FIFA's vote for Russia and Qatar to host, respectively, the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, sources close to the investigation confirmed, according to David Conn of the London GUARDIAN. Investigators are "understood to have interviewed Sepp Blatter," who was the FIFA president at the time. Former UEFA President Michel Platini has not been interviewed, the sources said. Platini acknowledged that he "changed his intended vote for the 2022 World Cup host" from the U.S. to Qatar following a lunch at the Élysée Palace with the president of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, and the current Emir of Qatar, Tamim al-Thani. Platini indicated "it was clear Sarkozy, whose government was seeking extensive trade deals with Qatar, wanted him to vote for the Gulf state but has always insisted he did not do so because of that pressure" (GUARDIAN, 4/27). In London, Ahmed & Stothard reported FIFA and representatives for Blatter did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A person close to the prosecutor's office said that it had opened a preliminary investigation last year into "bribery," "criminal association" and "influence trafficking" relating to the 2018 and 2022 World Cups (FINANCIAL TIMES, 4/27). BLOOMBERG's Tariq Panja reported the French action would follow "similar inquiries into the controversial" '10 vote by American and Swiss authorities. The French probe is "being led by a unit specializing in economic crimes." France's ministry of justice did not immediately respond to calls or an email outside of office hours. Qatar and Russia's bid teams have "long denied any wrongdoing in their successful campaigns" (BLOOMBERG, 4/27).
