Fifa start legal action against Blatter (09.05.2002)
Several high-ranking Fifa officials have begun legal proceedings against president Sepp Blatter after accusing him of financial mismanagement. "We have no choice but to go to the Swiss legal authorities," said Uefa president Lennart Johansson.
Rumours of bribery have haunted Fifa for several months, but it was only on Monday that Fifa general secretary Michel Zen-Ruffinen made a public allegation that several millions of pounds-worth of favours had been handed over to Concacaf president Jack Warner.
"Under Swiss law you are obliged to go to court if you are aware of a criminal act," Johansson went on. "If you withold that information you can be charged yourself.
"Following the report of Michel Zen-Ruffinen to the executive committee on Friday we are now obliged to act."
Earlier on Wednesday, 11 of Fifa`s 24-man
executive committee had put their names to plans to file for a criminal investigation.
"Mr Blatter must face a thorough investigation over the abuse of his authority and misuse of Fifa funds," said Fifa vice-president Chung Mong-joon.
Chung is a long-standing critic of Blatter, and has put his weight firmly behind Caf president Issa Hayatou in his campaign to topple Blatter in Fifa`s presidential elections to be held on May 29.
The Korean has joined a move by six of the eight European and all four of the African members of the executive committee to prosecute Blatter.
"I understand a lawyer has been hired and that legal action has started," Chung said.
Blatter has always denied all charges of financial irregularity, insisting that the allegations are simply an attempt to undermine him ahead of the elections.
