Swiss police make more arrests in FIFA corruption inquiry
Authorities in Switzerland have detained at least two more officials from the world soccer governing body, FIFA, as part of a long-running corruption inquiry led by the US.
Swiss police on Thursday made arrests during a raid at the five-star Baur au Lac hotel in the commercial city of Zurich, where a number of officials from FIFA’s governing body were staying.
Switzerland’s Federal Office of Justice said in a statement that two FIFA officials had been arrested, and were “being held in custody pending their extradition” to the US.
According to the statement, those taken into custody were suspected of taking bribes, allegedly for selling off “marketing rights in connection with football tournaments in Latin America, as well as World Cup qualifying matches.”
The statement also added that arrest requests had been submitted to the Swiss government by the US Department of Justice on November 29.
It was not immediately clear who was arrested, but authorities reportedly made clear that FIFA's outgoing, and currently suspended president, Sepp Blatter and Jerome Valcke, his suspended deputy, were not among those detained.
Soccer's world governing body also released a statement saying that “FIFA became aware of the actions taken today by the US Department of Justice.” “FIFA will continue to cooperate fully with the US investigation as permitted by Swiss law, as well as with the investigation being led by the Swiss Office of the Attorney General.”
The latest arrests of FIFA officials are the second such wave of detentions this year. Back in May, seven high-ranking officials were taken away from the same Swiss hotel by police.
A criminal investigation led by Switzerland into the bids for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups was also launched earlier this year alongside the US inquiry.
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