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Outgoing
FIFA president Sepp Blatter attends the opening of the "Sepp Blatter
Tournament" on August 22, 2015 in Ulrichen, Blatter's hometown in
Switzerland ©Fabrice Coffrini (AFP/File)
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FIFA president Sepp
Blatter was set to face the media on Friday, as the scandals that surround him
widen at a seemingly relentless pace. Blatter's press conference following FIFA's
executive committee meeting was always going to be closely watched, with both
the US and Swiss justice departments carrying out major investigations into
corruption at world football.
But
events over the last two weeks have raised the stakes.
On
Thursday, Switzerland's Attorney General Michael Lauber's office said FIFA had
agreed to hand over the emails of suspended secretary general Jerome Valcke,
evidence Lauber had demanded as part of an investigation into World Cup
bidding.
AFP report continues:
That
announcement came hours after Lauber's office said FIFA had indicated it would
only hand over the emails if certain conditions were met.
Those
conditions were not disclosed and there was no comment as to what ultimately
led FIFA to unseal the emails.
FIFA
said only that it "fully supports" the Swiss investigation and had
cooperated with the attorney general since his inquiry was launched in May.
A
week before FIFA agreed to the email release, football's governing body put the
Frenchman on indefinite leave over accusations he agreed to let World Cup
tickets be sold at vastly inflated prices.
Valcke,
who had been Blatter's right-hand man, fiercely denies the allegations.
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Key
players in the FIFA scandal ©V.Breschi/V.Lefai, PLD/ABM/JFS (AFP)
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Aside
from a possible black market ticket scheme, Valcke had already been implicated
in an alleged US$10 million bribe payment reportedly made by South Africa in
connection with its hosting of the 2010 World Cup.
The
Swiss investigation is focused on whether bribes were paid during bidding for
2018 and 2022 tournaments -- awarded to Russia and Qatar, respectively.
If
clear evidence of misconduct emerges, both countries could be stripped of their
hosting rights, FIFA officials have said.
- More charges coming -
Three
days before Valcke was suspended, Lauber and his US counterpart Loretta Lynch
made clear that their investigations were nowhere near complete.
Lauber
said assets, including flats in the Swiss Alps, had been seized in the probe
which he described as "not yet near half-time."
Valcke's
emails will add to the troves of electronic data previously confiscated by
Swiss investigators.
Lauber
has not named any individuals who could face criminal charges, and there was no
indication that Valcke is the main target in the case.
Speaking
alongside Lauber in Zurich, FIFA's home, Lynch said her case had also expanded
since May, when the US indicted 14 people -- nine FIFA officials and five
sports marketing executives -- over bribery worth more than US$150 million (134
million euros) dating back to 1991.
Lynch
told reporters that more individuals and entities were likely to be charged.
Neither
attorney general has commented on whether charges were imminent against the
FIFA president, who insists he was unaware of any graft that took place under his
watch.
- Extradition decisions
looming -
Seven
of the people indicted by Lynch were arrested in a dawn raid in Zurich in May.
One,
ex-FIFA vice president Jeffrey Webb of the Cayman Islands, agreed to
extradition and was sent the US.
The
other six challenged a transfer to American jurisdiction, but one by one they
appear to be losing those fights.
Last
week, the Swiss justice ministry approved the extradition of Rafael Esquivel of
Venezuela and Uruguay's Eugenio Figueredo, both former top officials within
world football.
Decision
on the extradition requests for the remaining four suspects are expected in the
coming days.
Blatter's press conference
at 2:00 pm (1200 GMT) may also prove to be one of his last, as the embattled
FIFA president has agreed to step down following a special election in
February.
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