Sepp Blatter defends actions to staff

FIFA president Sepp Blatter told staff at the football organisation’s headquarters Monday that he had done nothing illegal or improper, according to a statement issued by his lawyers. Three days after Swiss authorities announced that it was investigating the 79-year old, the five-term head of the world football body also defended, through his attorneys that payments made to Michel Platini, were “valid compensation and nothing more”. In spite of growing media pressure to quit, the statement said Blatter will not step down, and remain in his job until February. On Friday, Swiss officials interrogated Blatter at FIFA headquarters and searched his offices. A statement from the federal prosecutor’s office said that the investigation focused on “suspicion of criminal mismanagement and suspicion of misappropriation” of funds. A separate investigation of FIFA is being carried out by the US justice department. The Swiss investigation announced Friday focuses on a contract ...