Criminal Proceedings Opened Against Ex-FIFA Secretary General Jérôme Valcke

Swiss investigators said that criminal proceedings "have been opened" against former FIFA Secretary General Jérôme Valcke, according to the BBC. Valcke was put on leave last September after football's governing body said it had "been made aware of a series of allegations" involving him. The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland said it is now investigating Valcke for "various acts of criminal mismanagement." It added the criminal investigation related to the "matters investigated by the Fifa Ethics Committee" which led to Valcke's ban last month. He "has not been arrested but was questioned by investigators who carried out searches on Thursday." Valcke was sacked by FIFA "after it investigated allegations of misconduct relating to sales of World Cup tickets." His lawyer said his client had done "absolutely nothing wrong" (BBC, 3/17).