YEARS TOO LATE

Fifa opens ethics proceedings against Sepp Blatter

The Fifa president, Sepp Blatter, has been summoned to appear on Sunday before the organisation's ethics committee alongside two of his most senior executive committee members as world football's governing body threatens to implode ahead of next week's presidential election.

The 75-year-old will now appear alongside Mohamed bin Hammam, the Qatari challenger for the presidency accused of offering cash bribes, and Jack Warner, the controversial Concacaf president who has clung to a pivotal role in Fifa's power structure despite an alleged series of ticket touting and bribery claims.

MR SLEEEEEEEZE

Evidence in the file compiled by the US lawyer John Collins, including signed affidavits, text messages, photographs and email conversations, includes claims that Bin Hammam made "football development" payments of $40,000 to the 30 member organisations of the CFU. Twenty-five of the 30 have a vote in Wednesday's presidential election, in which Blatter is seeking to extend his 13-year term for another four years.

Michel Platini has described the decision to investigate Blatter as a "very interesting moment". After being told of the new developments, the Uefa president said: "We have some strange days these new, these next days." He said that because of the Fifa elections: "I will go back to Zurich after the final of the Champions League." Platini added: "You know the people who are corrupt, they know who can be corruptible. They know I am incorruptible."