Swiss attorney general to make Fifa statement on Wednesday

Michael Lauber will detail scope of investigation into 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids

Swiss attorney general Michael Lauber will make a statement on Wednesday regarding the scope of the investigations into the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids. Photograph: Afp
Swiss attorney general Michael Lauber will make a statement on Wednesday regarding the scope of the investigations into the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids. Photograph: Afp

Switzerland’s attorney general will make a statement on Wednesday about his investigation into the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

Michael Lauber is expected to detail the scope of the investigation as well as the time-scale and resources that will be used in the "criminal proceedings".

Officials from the attorney general's office have already taken possession of computer data from Fifa as part of the investigation into the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, which are being hosted by Russia and Qatar respectively.

The investigation is also looking into the money paid for a friendly between Argentina and Brazil in Qatar three weeks before the vote in 2010, and has taken possession of documents from the agency Kentaro which organised the match.

READ SOME MORE

Lauber’s press conference is to follow his expected re-election as attorney general.

A statement from his office said: “Attorney General Lauber will make a statement on the ongoing criminal proceedings in connection with the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 Football World Cups. The Attorney General will not deliver any further information, other than his statement concerning the ongoing football investigation.”

Meanwhile, Domenico Scala, the independent chairman of Fifa's audit and compliance committee, has urged Fifa president Sepp Blatter to stick with his plans to resign.

Swiss newspaper Schweiz am Sonntag quote a source close to Blatter as saying the 79-year-old is considering standing again as Fifa president despite announcing his resignation two weeks ago.

Scala, who is overseeing the next Fifa presidential election, said in a statement: “For me, the reforms are the central topic. That is why I think it is clearly indispensable to follow through with the initiated process of leadership change as it has been announced.”