The Swiss Attorney General has announced criminal proceedings have been opened against FIFA president Sepp Blatter.
The prosecutors' office issued a statement saying Blatter is suspected of criminal mismanagement or misappropriation over a TV rights deal he signed with former Caribbean football chief Jack Warner in 2005.
He is also suspected of "a disloyal payment" of two million Swiss francs to UEFA president Michel Platini - who is the favourite to succeed him - in 2011.
Blatter was interrogated following a meeting of FIFA's Executive Committee in Zurich on Friday, when Platini was also asked to provide information. Blatter's office at FIFA's headquarters was also searched and data seized.
A statement from the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) read: "Swiss criminal proceedings against the President of FIFA, Mr Joseph Blatter, have been opened on 24 September 2015 on suspicion of criminal mismanagement and - alternatively - misappropriation.
"On the one hand, the OAG suspects that on 12 September 2005 Mr Joseph Blatter has signed a contract with the Caribbean Football Union (with Jack Warner as the President at this time); this contract was unfavourable for FIFA. On the other hand, there is as suspicion that, in the implementation of this agreement, Joseph Blatter also violated his fiduciary duties and acted against the interest of FIFA and/or FIFA Marketing & TV AG.
"Additionally Mr Joseph Blatter is suspected of a disloyal payment of CHF 2 Mio. to Michel Platini, President of Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), at the expense of FIFA, which was allegedly made for work performed between January 1999 and June 2002; this payment was executed in February 2011.
"On 25 September 2015, representatives of the OAG interrogated the defendant Joseph Blatter following a meeting of the FIFA Executive Committee. At the same time, Michel Platini was heard as a person asked to provide information (Article 178 of the Swiss Code of Criminal Procedure).
"Furthermore, the OAG conducted on 25 September 2015 a house search at FIFA Headquarters with the support of the Federal Criminal Police. The office of the FIFA President has been searched and data seized.
"As for all defendants, the presumption of innocence applies for Mr Joseph Blatter."
The news of the opening of the criminal proceedings emerged after FIFA had cancelled Blatter's planned press conference in Zurich on Friday afternoon.
Blatter was expected to face the media following the FIFA Executive Committee meeting, but the briefing was called off just minutes before it was set to take place.
A statement from FIFA read: "Since 27 May 2015, FIFA has been cooperating with the Office of the Swiss Attorney General and has complied with all requests for documents, data and other information. We will continue this level of cooperation throughout the investigation.
"Today, at the Home of FIFA, representatives from the Office of the Swiss Attorney General conducted interviews and gathered documents pursuant to its investigation. FIFA facilitated these interviews as part of our ongoing cooperation.
"We will have no further comment on the matter as it is an active investigation."
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