FIFA to investigate Blatter

President Sepp Blatter is to be investigated by FIFA.

World football’s ruling body has opened ethics proceedings against Blatter after Mohamed Bin Hammam, his rival in next week’s presidential election, claimed that the Swiss knew about alleged cash payments.

Bin Hammam and vice-president Jack Warner will also be at Sunday’s hearing to answer charges of bribery.

“I cannot comment on the proceedings that have been opened against me. The facts will speak for themselves,” Blatter said in a statement.

The ethics committee are bound by their rules to investigate any complaint by an executive committee member under article 16 of the ethics code.

Bin Hammam and Warner face allegations from executive committee member Chuck Blazer that they offered bribes at a meeting of the Caribbean Football Union earlier this month.

A file of evidence claims bundles of cash of up to US$40,000 were handed over to members of the CFU at the meeting in Trinidad.

In turn, Bin Hammam is effectively claiming Blatter was aware of some wrongdoing but did not report it, in itself a breach of the code.

The committee, chaired by Namibian judge Petrus Damaseb, will also be under pressure to decide whether Blatter will face any charges.