FIFA probe to include president Blatter

Soccer's world governing body FIFA said on Friday that the organization's Ethics Committee extended a probe to include their own president Joseph Blatter.

"Joseph Blatter has been invited to take position by Saturday and to attend a hearing by the FIFA Ethics Committee at the Home of FIFA(Zurich) on Sunday," read the FIFA statement.

FIFA said that the investigation would also target Blatter at the request of executive committee member Mohamed bin Hammam, the sole presidential candidate beside Blatter.

Bin Hammam is himself facing an investigation by the Ethics Committee.

According to FIFA, the request is made "on the basis that, in the report submitted by FIFA Executive Committee member Chuck Blazer earlier this week, FIFA Vice-President Jack A Warner would have informed the FIFA President in advance about alleged cash payments to delegations attending a special meeting of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) apparently organised jointly by Jack A Warner and Mohamed bin Hammam on 10 and 11 May 2011 and that the FIFA President would have had no issue with these."

FIFA has been stung by corruption allegations in recent months around the 2018 and 2022 World Cup host election in December 2010. Two executives were suspended ahead of the vote, in which Russia (2018) and Qatar (2022) were picked.

Late on Friday Bin Hammam said he had submitted his reply to FIFA and that he believed there was increasing evidence of a conspiracy against his candidacy for the FIFA presidency.

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