France seizes documents tied to suspect Blatter-Platini payment

LAUSANNE — French authorities have seized documents from the country’s football federation in connection with the Swiss criminal investigation targeting former FIFA president Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini, Switzerland said Wednesday. The search was conducted Tuesday — two days before Blatter’s 80th birthday — with Swiss officials present while French investigators searched the French Football Federation (FFF) headquarters. Documents in connection with Blatter’s infamous 2.0 million Swiss franc ($2.0 million) payment to UEFA’s fallen president Platini of France, “were seized” in the search, the office of Switzerland’s attorney general said in a statement. The statement said it asked France for cooperation on Jan. 14. “Pursuant to that request ... and in close coordination with the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG), the French Financial Prosecution Office proceeded yesterday to a search of the offices of the French Football Federation,” the statement said. It added that the search was “in connection with the criminal proceedings against Mr. Joseph Blatter.” A French judiciary source said the search lasted all day. Blatter told AFP Wednesday he was “very surprised” that French authorities had seized documents from the federation. “I am very surprised by this,” Blatter said. “That is in fact how this (the payment) came to light, since this Swiss bank informed Swiss financial regulators at the time, because when a private person receives two million francs, there are alarm bells that ring,” he said. Platini worked for FIFA from 1999 to 2002 while he was based in Paris, and had the assistance of two colleagues who were also paid by world football’s governing body. “These contracts were between FIFA and the FFF, and between the two employees (who worked with Platini), Odile Lanceau and Alain Leiblang, who FIFA paid as of 1999. “But they have nothing to do with Michel Platini’s contract,” Blatter said. Switzerland opened an investigation against Blatter, a Swiss citizen, in September for alleged criminal mismanagement during his tenure as FIFA’s president. It also suspects Blatter of making a payment that was “disloyal” to FIFA. Doubts surrounding that payment led FIFA to ban both Blatter and Platini from football for six years. Blatter, who Thursday will be celebrating his 80th birthday, was replaced on Feb. 26 by 45-year-old Gianni Infantino as FIFA’s president, ending his 18-year reign.