By Andrew Warshaw
September 24 – Just as its executive committee began its latest session in what must be a distinctly uneasy atmosphere, FIFA have been asked by Swiss prosecutors to provide access to email accounts of suspended general secretary Jerome Valcke.
Valcke was relieved of his duties last week after being implicated by a former ticketing consultant who cited email exchanges to discuss a 2014 World Cup black market deal.
Valcke forcefully denies any wrongdoing but the office of Swiss attorney general Michael Lauber wants to see proof of the allegations and has filed a request directly to FIFA lawyers.
“I can confirm that we now want to have access to these sealed email accounts,” Lauber’s spokesman told The Associated Press. “The OAG (office of the attorney general) asked FIFA to deliver all information coming from Mr. Valcke’s multiple email accounts.”
Until recently the Swiss probe into FIFA’s affairs was assumed to be focussed mainly on the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bid process since it was FIFA who originally launched a criminal complaint about potential wrongdoing. But it is now clear the investigation has been widened. Lauber said last week that his team had so far gathered around 11 terabytes of electronic data and that 121 different bank accounts have been probed for suspicious activity.
Valcke says the claims against him are “fabricated and outrageous” but he reportedly faces sanctions even if no case against him is proven since FIFA’s code of ethics provides for charges of breach of confidentiality and loyalty for conducting official business through private email accounts.
A FIFA spokesperson said: “We are committed to collaborating with the authorities and it is an ongoing process.”
Last week, Benny Alon, a previously little-known ticket dealer, produced documents claiming there was a deal between his company, JB Sports Marketing, and Valcke. He says he agreed in 2013 to pay cash to Valcke for World Cup tickets and that the idea was that the tickets would then be sold on to fans at a higher price, with the proceeds split with Valcke.
The alleged deal was never completed and it is unclear why Alon came forward with his claims at this particular time, with some rumours suggesting it was a deliberate ploy to stop any chance of Valcke launching a bid to succeed Sepp Blatter as FIFA president.
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