FIFA President Sepp Blatter has said he would not be at the final of the ongoing FIFA’s Women’s World Cup in Canada, for “personal reasons”
The is the first time since Blatter took over the affairs of FIFA, he would not be available to present the trophy to the winner of the final of a FIFA organized football tournament.
Sepp Blatter and 7 others have come under intense investigation by US for alleged corruption in world football’s governing body.
Blatter, 79, has been in charge of FIFA since 1998 and had previously announced he would quit his post ahead of the organisation’s February 2016 presidential election.
The ethics investigation is in connection with a £1.3m ($2m) paid to Platini in February 2011, for which Blatter is subject to a Swiss criminal investigation.
Lawyers for Blatter said he will remain as FIFA president despite the investigation by the Swiss attorney general, Michael Lauber, into a suspicion that the money paid to Platini was a “disloyal payment”.
Both men stated that it related to work Platini did at Fifa as Blatter’s adviser – which finished nine years earlier, in 2002.
Blatter and Platini are also subject to investigation over the same payment by Fifa’s ethics committee, meaning both could imminently be suspended, which would scupper Platini’s candidacy to be elected Fifa president when Blatter steps down in February.
FIFA vice president and current CAF president is expected to present the trophy to the winner of the FIFA’s women’s world cup.
