Blatter surprised by FFF office search

Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter said he was shocked to learn of a search of the French Football Federation (FFF) offices in relation to criminal proceedings against him.

The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) had searched the FFF offices in connection with the criminal proceedings against Blatter after opening an investigation into the Swiss in September last year on suspicion of criminal mismanagement and – alternatively – misappropriation following a suspected payment of CHF 2million to ex-UEFA president Michel Platini.

Both Blatter and Platini have since been banned from all football-related activities, although the former is also facing criminal charges.

As part of that investigation, the French Financial Prosecution Office searched the FFF’s offices in Paris on Tuesday, with documents relating to the suspected payment from Blatter to Platini in 2011 seized.

Blatter said he was surprised that the authorities felt it was necessary to search FFF offices.

“I am very surprised at this for the simple reason that the 2 million Swiss francs was paid to FIFA Michel Platini as part of an oral contract existed between Michel Platini and I have not been paid or the FFF or UEFA but on a private account of Michel Platini in a Swiss bank,” he told AFP.

Despite the search, the OAG confirmed that Platini’s status in the proceedings had not changed.