Internal FIFA Probe of Sepp Blatter Finds Scant Evidence: Swiss Newspaper

An internal investigation of suspended FIFA president Joseph "Sepp" Blatter has found no evidence of wrongdoing over a 2 million Swiss franc ($2.02 million) payment to European football head Michel Platini, a Swiss newspaper reported on Wednesday. (FIFA's Suspended President Sepp Blatter in FBI Spotlight Over 100 Million USD Bribery Case: Report)

Citing an unnamed source, the Handelszeitung paper said the internal probe had been unable to substantiate the suspicions.

Both men were suspended in October amid a corruption scandal that has triggered criminal investigations in the United States and Switzerland and cast football's global administrative body into turmoil. They deny wrongdoing and have not been charged.

In November, FIFA approved five candidates for its February presidential election amid the worst crisis in its history, after barring Liberia's Musa Bility on integrity grounds and leaving out UEFA chief Platini while he remains under suspension.

Platini, the original favourite to succeed Sepp Blatter as head of global football's governing body, was not admitted because he has been suspended for 90 days pending a full Ethics Committee investigation.

FIFA had already announced that it would not process former French international football star while he was suspended, but could review its position if he wins an appeal against the ban.

Buffeted by a series of scandals over the last few years, FIFA was thrown into turmoil in May by the U.S. indictments of 14 football officials, including two FIFA vice-presidents, and sports marketing executives for alleged corruption.

Blatter, also suspended for 90 days, is facing criminal investigation in Switzerland over a 2 million Swiss franc ($2.1 million) payment from FIFA to Platini. Both men have denied wrongdoing.