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FIFA will grant access to Valcke emails ‘under conditions’

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Swiss prosecutors said they had received a pledge from FIFA on Thursday to allow them access to the emails of suspended secretary general Jerome Valcke if certain conditions were met.

Switzerland's Attorney General Michael Lauber has demanded access to all of Valcke's emails as part of his probe into corruption allegations surrounding the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

Lauber has obtained troves of electronic documents in connection with the case, but the correspondence of Valcke -- FIFA chief Sepp Blatter's former right-hand man -- has so far been blocked by world football's governing body.

On Thursday, "FIFA informed the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) that FIFA will grant access to Mr. Jerome Valcke's Email accounts if several conditions are fulfilled," said a statement sent to AFP from Andre Marty, a spokesman for the Swiss attorney general.

There was no immediate indication as to the nature of the conditions that FIFA has requested.

FIFA earlier on Thursday insisted it was "committed" to helping any investigation.

Valcke was put on indefinite leave last week over accusations he agreed to let World Cup tickets be sold at vastly inflated prices. The Frenchman strongly denied the allegations.

The claims were made by Benny Alon, an American-Israeli consultant at a company which had a deal with FIFA to sell tickets at the 2014 World Cup. The contract was subsequently cancelled.

His eviction has heightened scrutiny of Blatter himself, who is in his final months in office as elections to choose a successor are set for February 26 next year.

Swiss prosecutors said they had received a pledge from FIFA on Thursday to allow them access to the emails of suspended secretary general Jerome Valcke if certain conditions were met.

Switzerland’s Attorney General Michael Lauber has demanded access to all of Valcke’s emails as part of his probe into corruption allegations surrounding the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

Lauber has obtained troves of electronic documents in connection with the case, but the correspondence of Valcke — FIFA chief Sepp Blatter’s former right-hand man — has so far been blocked by world football’s governing body.

On Thursday, “FIFA informed the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) that FIFA will grant access to Mr. Jerome Valcke’s Email accounts if several conditions are fulfilled,” said a statement sent to AFP from Andre Marty, a spokesman for the Swiss attorney general.

There was no immediate indication as to the nature of the conditions that FIFA has requested.

FIFA earlier on Thursday insisted it was “committed” to helping any investigation.

Valcke was put on indefinite leave last week over accusations he agreed to let World Cup tickets be sold at vastly inflated prices. The Frenchman strongly denied the allegations.

The claims were made by Benny Alon, an American-Israeli consultant at a company which had a deal with FIFA to sell tickets at the 2014 World Cup. The contract was subsequently cancelled.

His eviction has heightened scrutiny of Blatter himself, who is in his final months in office as elections to choose a successor are set for February 26 next year.

AFP
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With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives.

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