World soccer’s governing body FIFA says it has filed a criminal complaint with Zurich’s cantonal prosecutor, claiming evidence of criminal mismanagement of a museum project set up by former president Sepp Blatter.
FIFA says their complaint identified the direct involvement of Blatter together with other persons in the agreements made for the museum which is in central Zurich.
Blatter, who was FIFA president for 17 years, was suspended and later banned by the soccer body’s ethics committee after he became the subject of criminal proceedings in Switzerland in 2015.
FIFA Deputy Secretary General, Alasdair Bell says that a forensic audit had been undertaken into the project. FIFA further plans to submit all relevant documentation to its own ethics committee.
The complaint is the latest in a series of legal issues surrounding FIFA.
Current FIFA president Gianni Infantino is himself facing criminal proceedings by a special prosecutor looking into dealings the Swiss official had with former Swiss Attorney General, Michael Lauber.
Infantino and Lauber have denied any wrongdoing.
After the announcement of those proceedings, Blatter called for Infantino to be suspended.
Earlier this month, special prosecutor Stefan Keller said he had asked Swiss authorities to investigate Infantino’s use of private air travel.
