Blatter’s Payment to Platini a Classic Conflict of Interest – FIFA Audit Chairman
The Audit and Compliance Committee Chairman of the world’s football governing body, FIFA, Domenico Scala, has labelled Sepp Blatter’s payment of about $2 million to UEFA chief, Michel Platini a ”classic conflict of interest.”
The audit chairman also said the beleaguered FIFA boss could also be culpable for the alleged falsification of accounts, for making a payment without a written contract.
Scala disclosed this to the Financial Times after an extraordinary congress meeting on Tuesday.
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He said that the payment was not recorded in the accounts in 2002, calling it a serious omission.
Scala said: “In any normal business, there would be a written contract.
“Both parties were members of Fifa’s executive committee and knowingly approved each year financial statements which were incorrect by 2m Swiss francs (£1.35m).
“That could be seen as falsification of the accounts.
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“It doesn’t make a difference if you do that in a limited company or an association. The result and the consequences are the same.”
Blatter last week said he had a “gentleman’s agreement” with Platini over the payment, with the UEFA boss claiming the deal was a verbal agreement for his job as an adviser to Blatter between 1998 and 2002.
Both men are currently serving a 90-day suspension for the alleged payment, while FIFA’s ethics committee completes a full investigation.
