Much of Fifa's financial dealings during Sepp Blatter's 17-year presidency seem open to investigation

FIFA president Sepp Blatter after his election as President greeted by UEFA President Michel Platini, right, at the Hallenstadion in Zurich, Switzerland

Swiss prosecutors have opened criminal proceedings against FIFA president Sepp Blatter and questioned UEFA president Michel Platini on a day of stunning developments at football's world governing body.

The Swiss attorney general's 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" in 2011 of two millions Swiss francs (£1.35million on current exchange rates) to Platini for work allegedly carried out by the Frenchman between 1999 and 2002.

Platini has been seen as the favourite to succeed Blatter as president of FIFA.

Officers from the Swiss Office of the Attorney General (OAG) interrogated Blatter at FIFA headquarters following a FIFA executive committee meeting on Friday. His office was searched and data seized.

Blatter has repeatedly insisted he is innocent of any wrongdoing amid allegations of scandal involving FIFA.

Platini's alleged involvement casts a shadow over his hopes of succeeding Blatter, who is understood to be deciding whether to step down immediately rather than stick to his original plan of staying on until February 26 2016. A "disloyal payment" is one that goes against the best interests of the organisation - and the question Platini will have to answer is why the alleged payment was not made until nine years down the line.

An OAG statement said: "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 2 million CHF (Swiss francs) to Michel Platini, president of 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."

The statement added: "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.

"Furthermore, the OAG conducted on September 25 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."

FIFA had cancelled a news conference at its FIFA headquarters at the last minute on Friday.

Around 170 media had been accredited for the news conference in Zurich and were only told of the cancellation five minutes before it was due to start.

It followed a FIFA executive committee on Friday morning where a number of decisions were taken. These included moving the venue of the next meeting from Japan to Zurich - Japan has an extradition treaty with the USA and Blatter and several other officials have been wary of possible arrest.

The committee also ratified a decision taken in March that the winter World Cup in Qatar in 2022 will be held over 28 days between November 21 and December 18.

FIFA said it was co-operating with the investigation by the attorney general's office.

A statement said: "Since 27 May 2015, FIFA has been co-operating with the Office of the Swiss Attorney General (OAG) and has complied with all requests for documents, data and other information. We will continue this level of co-operation 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 co-operation. We will have no further comment on the matter as it is an active investigation."

Blatter's American lawyer Richard Cullen insisted "no mismanagement" had occurred.

Cullen said in a statement: "Mr Blatter is co-operating and we are confident that when the Swiss authorities have a chance to review the documents and the evidence they will see that the contract was properly prepared and negotiated by the appropriate staff members of FIFA who were routinely responsible for such contracts, and certainly no mismanagement occurred."

Platini released a statement saying he had clarified matters about the payment with the authorities.

Platini said: "Today I was asked by the Swiss authorities to provide information relating to the ongoing investigations surrounding FIFA. I have always been open to supporting the relevant bodies and authorities in their investigative work and therefore cooperated fully.

"Regarding the payment that was made to me, I wish to state that this amount relates to work which I carried out under a contract with FIFA and I was pleased to have been able to clarify all matters relating to this with the authorities.

"Today I also made clear to the Swiss authorities that since I live in Switzerland I am available to speak with them any time to clarify any matters relating to the investigations."

Prince Ali Al-Hussein is now the favourite to take over from Blatter as the next president of FIFA

Michael Bowers, Football Trader for Betfair, said: “Prince Ali Al-Hussein has now gone from 3/1 to 8/11 to be next FIFA president. Favourite for the job, Michel Platini has now drifted to EVS after Swiss authorities announced they will be starting a criminal investigation for a number of allegations, including a €2 million payment made to the Frenchman by Sepp Blatter.

“With confirmation this afternoon that the 2022 World Cup will take place in November and ultimately interfere with domestic fixtures around the globe, we make it 14/1 for any country to qualify and subsequently boycott participation. After Sepp Blatter announced his resignation earlier this year, we saw a huge amount of support at 9/4 for Qatar to be stripped of the 2022 World Cup, but they are now odds-on at 1/12 to retain hosting rights.”

Any qualified team to boycott 2022 Qatar World Cup?

Yes 14/1

Will Qatar host 2022 World Cup?

Yes 1/12

No 6/1

Next FIFA President

Prince Ali Al-Hussein 8/11

Michel Platini EVS

Sheikh Ahmad Al-Sabah 14/1

Luis Figo 25/1

Michael Van Praag 25/1

Jerome Champagne 25/1

Sepp Blatter 25/1

David Gill 33/1

Greg Dyke 50/1

More to follow

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