FIFA president to be questioned by Swiss prosecutors

Sepp Blatter, the freshly re-elected FIFA president, will be questioned by Swiss prosecutors as part of a criminal investigation into the controversial votes for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup competitions.

The Sunday Times reported that an enquiry was launched by a team of prosecutors based in Bern two months ago, codenamed Operation Darwin.

Blatter, who beat presidential rival prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan on Friday, is one of 10 serving FIFA officials who will be questioned.

A team of prosecutors based in Bern secretly launched their criminal inquiry into the December 2010 World Cup ballot more than two months ago. They are investigating "criminal management" and money laundering during the competition, which led to Russia being picked to host the 2018 tournament and Qatar surprising the world by winning 2022.

The offences carry sentences of up to seven-and-a-half year's imprisonment.

Their enquiry has already included the seizure of documents from FIFA headquarters and the freezing of bank accounts of unidentified officials as they prepare to interview Blatter and the other members of FIFA's executive committee (Exco).

Michel Platini, the UEFA president, and Vitaly Mutko, the Russian sports minister will also be questioned. Platini and Blatter will be the last of the 10 officials to be interviewed because both live in Switzerland and can be contacted by the prosecutors at any time.

The investigation is a separate case from the parallel probe by the US justice department and FBI that led to the indictment of the 14 FIFA officials and related business figures over $150m worth of bribes.

Over the weekend, Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, who is President of the FA urged the organisation to reform.

In a speech to FA delegates before yesterday's Wembley cup final, William publicly supported the decision of England's officials on FIFA's executive to give up his position in a protest against Blatter's decision.

The Duke said: "The events in Zurich this week represent FIFA's Salt Lake City moment, when the International Olympic Committee went through a similar period of serious allegations. FIFA, like the IOC, must now show that it can represent the interests of fair play and put the sport first."

"Those backing Fifa, such as sponsors and the regional confederations, must do their bit to press these reforms – we are doing football and its fans no favours if we do not," he added.

"I have no doubt that when Fifa reforms, its mission to spread the benefits of the game to more people, especially those in developing countries, can only be enhanced."

Blatter further denied he was the unidentified senior Fifa official who supposedly authorised the payment of a $10m bribe to former Fifa vice-president Jack Warner. "Definitely that's not me. I have no $10m," Blatter said.

America's attorney-general, Loretta Lynch, pledged to bring to justice the alleged co-conspirators in the FIFA corruption scandal, including Mohamed bin Hammam, a former FIFA exco member who the Sunday Times revealed used secret bungs and bribes to help win Qatar the 2022 World Cup.

The culture secretary, John Whittingdale, said European nations should not rule out boycotting future World Cups if the "utterly discredited" Blatter refused to step down.