Sepp Blatter 'Under Investigation' - US Officials

World | June 3, 2015, Wednesday // 08:58
Bulgaria: Sepp Blatter 'Under Investigation' - US Officials FIFA president Joseph S. Blatter (L) speaks during a press conference at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, June 02, 2015. Photo by EPA/BGNES

Sepp Blatter, who is to resign as FIFA President, is a focus of a federal corruption investigation, US media outlets quote officials as saying.

The new came just hours after Blatter announced he wound step down.

According to the New York Times several US officials said on the condition of anonymity that they expected to win the cooperation of some of the FIFA officials now under indictment.

Over the past week the world football governing body has been shaken by a corruption scandal, with key FIFA representatives being arrested by Swiss police after US authorities launched a criminal inquiry. Seven people were arrested and a total of 14 were indicted.

Blatter, who has been at the helm of FIFA for 17 years, initially refused to resign, denying any links to corruption in the organization.

But on Tuesday he said he would step down after FIFA's executive committee organizes a new vote for the election of a successor. In his words, that should take place before the next World Congress, which is scheduled for May 2016.

CNN quotes Domenico Scala, chair o the body's audit and compliance committee, as saying that a new vote come be anytime between December 2015 and March 16.

Blatter added in a televised address that FIFA needs a "profound overhaul".

UEFA President Michel Platini hailed the decision as "brave" and "the right" one.

This came just days after Blatter was reelected to a fifth term in office.

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Tags: corruption, football, US, FIFA, Blatter, Sepp Blatter

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