FIFA sack top official over ‘breaches’ worth millions

FIFA on Monday sacked deputy general secretary
Markus Kattner for financial 'breaches' involving
millions of dollars, according to sources close to
an inquiry by the world body.

Kattner's downfall topples another member of
ex-president Sepp Blatter's inner circle at
football's world body.

Kattner, a German-Swiss national, had been
acting general secretary after previous general
secretary Jerome Valcke was also dismissed for
irregularities.

"Kattner has been dismissed from his position
effective immediately," the world body said in a
statement.

"FIFA's internal investigation uncovered breaches
of his fiduciary responsibilities in connection
with his employment contract," it added.

"There was enough to determine there was a
breach of his responsabilities and to take action
against Mr Kattner," a source close to an internal
FIFA investigation said.

"We are talking about significant sums of money,
millions of dollars," the source added.
The source said the money came from bonuses
under a contract whose terms were kept secret
from FIFA audit committees.

The world body indicated that Kattner is the
subject of an outside inquiry.

"FIFA will not comment further on any of the
details, but will continue its cooperation with the
relevant authorities," said the statement.
Swiss prosecutors are already investigating
Blatter, who is serving a six year ban imposed by
FIFA, and Valcke.

Blatter is under investigation for making a
"disloyal" payment of $2 million to ex-UEFA
leader Michel Platini, who has also been banned
from football activities.

Valcke was sacked and suspended from football
activities for 12 years after being linked to the
sale of black market World Cup tickets. Swiss
police are following up FIFA's investigation
against Valcke.

The action is a new blow to FIFA's reputation as it
seeks to redeem its scandal-tainted name under
new president Gianni Infantino who was elected
in February.

Infantino only this month named Fatma Samoura
as its new general secretary. Samoura is the
body's first woman secretary general and FIFA
also wanted her United Nations background to
give a sign of football's new direction.

Infantino has repeatedly said he wants to bring a
new era of "transparency", "honesty" and
"professionalism." But Kattner's dismissal is a
new sign that FIFA's past misdeeds have still not
all been brought out into the open.

Swiss prosecutors are investigating the awarding
of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and
Qatar.

Court hearings in the United States after the
detention of a host of top football officials from
South and North America are set to bring new
embarrassment.

Acting under US warrants, Swiss police detained
seven FIFA officials in a dawn raid on a Zurich
hotel on May 27 last year.

US authorities have charged 39 individuals and
two companies over more than $200 million in
bribes paid for television and marketing deals.