By Andrew Warshaw
November 10 – Comprehensive integrity checks into six of the seven candidates running for FIFA president have now been completed by FIFA ethics investigators – but no recommendations have been made and the verdicts won’t be announced for several more days.
As per FIFA statutes, the file has been passed on to FIFA’s electoral committee headed by Domenico Scala to rule on who can and who can’t run to take over from Sepp Blatter on February 26.
Scala’s body will reach its conclusions within the next week to 10 days.
“We did not make any recommendations but we submitted a comprehensive document covering all aspects, including criminal activity” said a source close to the ethics committee. “In all cases there needs to be tangible evidence of direct personal involvement in any wrongdoing. There are obviously some sensitive issues which will have to be carefully considered.”
Of the seven contenders, it is understood Michel Platini’s file was kept on hold as officials await the outcome of an investigation into allegations that the UEFA president received a SFr2 million payment from Blatter in 2011. An integrity check will only be carried out on Platini, currently under suspension along with Blatter, if he is cleared of any wrongdoing in time to run.
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