The move by the international police body came the day after FIFA
President Sepp Blatter stunned world soccer by resigning shortly
before it emerged that he was also under investigation by U.S. law
enforcement.
A source close to FIFA said Blatter's advisers had told him he must
reverse course and quit. Critics pointed to the widening criminal
probe, disquiet among sponsors, and pressure from Europe's powerful
soccer body UEFA as possible reasons.
With Blatter saying he no longer had the mandate he sought, UEFA
postponed a meeting due on Saturday at which there might have been
talk of a revolt against FIFA.
UEFA had opposed Blatter, and Michel Platini, the UEFA president who
is favorite to succeed the 79-year-old Swiss national, had urged him
not to stand for re-election as FIFA faced the worst crisis in its
111-year history.
"Due to yesterday's announcement and the uncertain and unpredictable
nature of the investigations, I have decided that it would be more
appropriate to postpone the meeting that was announced last week,
and which could have taken place in Berlin this weekend," Platini, a
former French soccer star, said.
"Considering new information is revealed every day, I believe it is
wiser to take time to assess the situation, so together we can take
a position on this issue."
As the FIFA crisis unfolds, Interpol issued international wanted
person alerts for Jack Warner, former president of CONCACAF, which
governs football in North and Central America and the Caribbean, and
Nicolas Leoz, the former head of South America's soccer federation.
The others subject to the so-called "red notices" -- not arrest
warrants -- are Alejandro Burzaco, Hugo Jinkis and Mariano Jinkis,
who are among soccer officials and sports media and promotion
executives facing U.S. corruption charges involving more than $150
million in bribes, and Jose Margulies, a Brazilian who headed two
offshore companies that were involved in broadcasting soccer
matches.
BRIBE DENIED
FIFA has denied that another senior official, Secretary-General
Jerome Valcke, was involved in a $10 million payment approved by the
South African Football Association that lies at the heart of the
U.S. investigation.
At a news conference in Johannesburg, sports minister Fikile Mbalula
denied that the payment to Warner during South Africa's successful
bid for the 2010 World Cup was a bribe.
Mbalula said South Africa had not bought votes for the right to host
the finals.
U.S. legal authorities last week announced they are investigating
alleged bribery and corruption at FIFA going back 24 years and Swiss
prosecutors announced their own criminal investigation into the
award of the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the 2022 tournament to
Qatar.
The Kremlin said Russia was surprised by Blatter's resignation but
was pressing on with preparations for the World Cup finals in 2018.
Blatter, who has led FIFA for 17 years, is being investigated by
U.S. prosecutors and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, a person
who spoke on condition of anonymity told Reuters late on Tuesday.
U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch, on a visit to Latvia, declined
to comment on whether Blatter is under investigation.
Blatter has not been charged with wrongdoing. FIFA did not respond
to a request for comment on Blatter being under investigation.
Blatter announced his decision to step down at a news conference in
Zurich on Tuesday, six days after police raided a hotel in the city
and arrested several FIFA officials - and just four days after he
was re-elected to a fifth term as president.
An election to choose a new president will probably not take place
until at least December. Blatter, meanwhile, remains in his
position.
His daughter, Corinne Blatter-Andenmatten, told a Swiss newspaper
her father's decision had "absolutely nothing" to do with recent
corruption allegations.
[to top of second column] |
"LIFTED A CLOUD"
European sports officials said Blatter's resignation was an
important step, but that the organization needed deeper changes.
"Beyond the people, structural reforms must be undertaken," said
French Sports State Secretary Thierry Braillard.
New Zealand Football Chief Executive Andy Martin said soccer must
now rebuild its tattered reputation.
"This has lifted a cloud and taken away a lot of the concerns of
stakeholders and their association with the sport," he told Reuters.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC), which has been a staunch
ally of Blatter, said it would discuss internally the "best way
forward for both FIFA and world football".
AFC member the Philippines Football Federation said it was surprised
by Blatter's decision, but noted this "offers a big opportunity to
continue and intensify the reforms that have been started".
As Blatter announced his exit, English Football Association Chairman
Greg Dyke raised the possibility that the controversial vote that
awarded Qatar the 2022 tournament could be re-run.
Qatar Football Association President Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Bin
Ahmed Al-Thani hit back, indicating the small Gulf state will not
give up hosting soccer's showpiece event without a fight. "We would
urge Mr Dyke to let the legal process take its course and
concentrate on delivering his promise to build an England team
capable of winning the 2022 World Cup in Qatar," he said.
Qatar's stock index fell as much as 3 percent to a 6-week low amid
fears Qatar could lose the World Cup.
NEW FACES, FRESH START
Among the potential candidates to lead FIFA, Platini, is the
favorite.
Jordan's Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, who withdrew from last week's
presidential election after winning 73 votes to Blatter's 133 in the
first round, stopped short of confirming he would run again. Asked
if there should be a fresh start at FIFA, he told Britain's Channel
4 News: "I'm willing to help."
Chung Mong-joon, billionaire scion of South Korea's Hyundai
conglomerate, said he would "carefully consider" running.
Other possible candidates include Domenico Scala, independent
chairman of FIFA's audit and compliance committee.
Former Brazil international Zico, 62, did not rule out a bid, and
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro proposed Argentine soccer legend
Diego Maradona.
Others include Jerome Champagne, a former French diplomat and FIFA
deputy secretary general, and German Wolfgang Niersbach, a former
sports journalist and FIFA media chief.
(Writing by Giles Elgood; Editing by Peter Millership)
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
|