The embattled FIFA president has insisted he has done nothing wrong after the Swiss attorney general opened an investigation targeting the 70-year-old, who has been head of world football`s governing body since 1998, on "suspicion of criminal mismanagement."
"President Blatter spoke to FIFA staff today and informed the staff that he was cooperating with the authorities, reiterated that he had done nothing illegal or improper and stated that he would remain as president of FIFA," read a statement issued by Blatter`s lawyers Monday.
The Swiss authorities are examining a contract signed by Blatter with the Caribbean Football Union and an alleged "disloyal payment" of two million Swiss francs (about $2 million) to Michel Platini, the head of European football body UEFA, made in 2011.
Both Blatter and Platini, who is in the running to succeed Blatter in 2016, insist there was nothing untoward about the payment to the Frenchman for work he did for the world governing body between 1999 and 2002.
"On the Platini matter, President Blatter on Friday shared with the Swiss authorities the fact that Mr. Platini had a valuable employment relationship with FIFA serving as an advisor to the president beginning in 1998.
"He explained to the prosecutors that the payments were valid compensation and nothing more and were properly accounted for within FIFA including the withholding of Social Security contributions."
Meanwhile, Platin explained he has "not been accused of any wrongdoing."
"This income has all been fully declared by me to the authorities, in accordance with Swiss law," read a statement from the Frenchman.
"I was interviewed by the Swiss authorities about this matter last Friday, not as a person accused of any wrongdoing, but simply in my capacity as a person providing information."
Sepp Blatter: `I`ve done nothing illegal,` says FIFA president
29 September 2015
Read: 840
Sepp Blatter is going nowhere.
