History for ConanTroutman

Swiss authorities have opened criminal proceedings against Sepp Blatter in a dramatic escalation of the corruption crisis engulfing football’s ruling body, Fifa.

Uefa president Michel Platini – the former European footballer of the year who was once Blatter’s protege but has latterly turned on him and was favourite to replace the Swiss as Fifa president – was also dragged into the web of allegations engulfing the organisation. Investigations centre on a payment of 2m Swiss francs (£1.35m) made to Platini in 2011.

After arriving to question Blatter at Fifa’s opulent Zurich HQ and seizing his computer, the office of the Swiss attorney general said it had opened proceedings against him “on suspicion of criminal mismanagement” and “suspicion of misappropriation”.

Platini, who is lobbying to replace Blatter when he stands down in February, was questioned “as a person asked to provide information” in connection with claims that he received a “disloyal payment” from the Fifa president.