Sports
Ex FIFA boss Blatter faces fresh inquiry
Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter is the target of a criminal investigation in Switzerland for suspected mismanagement of a $1 million payment from football funds.
Blatter has been notified by Swiss federal prosecutors he is an “accused person” over a loan FIFA gave in 2010 to the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association, according to a document seen by The Associated Press.
Blatter, 84, has denied any wrongdoing during decades of financial scandals linked to football’s world governing body, though he was banned from the presidency and risks being brought to trial in his home country.
The payment now publicly revealed came from a FIFA account on April 13, 2010, and was interest-free, unsecured and later waived as a kind of gift, the document detailed.
It is the latest allegation in Swiss and American federal investigations tying FIFA to irregular payments benefiting Jack Warner, its former vice president from Trinidad who is fighting extradition to the United States.
Warner long controlled a key bloc in FIFA elections until he left football after being implicated in bribing voters to oppose Blatter in 2011. He was also an elected lawmaker in the Caribbean nation and became a government minister after a general election held in May 2010.
Two former senior FIFA officials — Jerome Valcke as Secretary General and Markus Kattner as Finance Director — are also named as accused persons.
The Swiss federal prosecution office said in a statement on Saturday that criminal proceedings against Blatter were extended last month to include Valcke and Kattner. The office said both men, who were fired by FIFA in 2016, have the presumption of innocence.
The investigation document is dated May 13, 2020 — several weeks after the office said it was closing one of two criminal proceedings opened against Blatter five years earlier.
The allegation to be dropped was that Blatter mismanaged a World Cup broadcast deal for the Caribbean that let Warner personally profit by millions of dollars.
That prosecution decision revealed in April suggested Blatter could be cleared by Swiss justice after years under suspicion and while serving a six-year ban by FIFA’s ethics committee. It expires in October 2021.
A Swiss criminal proceeding has also been open against Blatter since September 2015 related to FIFA payments to former UEFA president Michel Platini. That allegation led to FIFA’s ethics committee banning both men from football. –AP
Management of Asempa FM has issued a public apology to the Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr. Kofi Adams, after wrongly quoting him in a recent publication about the selection of players for the Black Stars.
In a statement released by the station’s management, Asempa FM admitted that a quote card shared after Kofi Adams’ interview on Ultimate Sports Show on 13th October 2025 misrepresented his actual remarks.
According to the station, the error created a wrong impression that the Sports Minister was directly involved in selecting players for the national team ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“The wording on the artwork may have created a misleading impression. For clarity, the Honorable Minister stated that the final decision on player selection rests solely with the technical team, and he emphasized the importance of transparency and merit-based selection,” the statement said.
Asempa FM expressed deep regret for the misrepresentation and apologized to Kofi Adams and the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
The management further assured the public that the station would take steps to ensure greater accuracy and care in its future communications.
“We hold Kofi Adams and his office in the highest regard and deeply regret any inconvenience or misunderstanding caused,” the statement concluded.
By: Jacob Aggrey
When Otto Addo took charge, Ghana sat fourth in Group I with just three points from two matches — a situation that seemed daunting for even the most optimistic fans. But what followed was one of the most remarkable turnarounds in African World Cup qualifying history.
Addo’s arrival brought renewed tactical clarity and belief. He restructured the team’s shape, redefined roles, and instilled discipline in both defense and attack. The results began to flow as Ghana went on an astonishing run of victories.
The coach’s calm leadership was crucial in restoring confidence to key players who had lost form. Veterans found new motivation, while youngsters flourished under his guidance, creating a perfect blend of maturity and energy.
Each win became a statement of intent — that Ghana was back. The team’s comeback victories over tough opponents like Mali and Central African Republic showed resilience and mental fortitude.
By the end of the campaign, the Black Stars had climbed from fourth to first, topping the group with 25 points and a +17-goal difference — a clear testament to Otto Addo’s transformational leadership.
This turnaround will go down in Ghana’s football annals as a story of hope, determination, and tactical brilliance that brought the nation back to the world stage.
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