adminZURICH. — FIFA investigators used special software for financial watchdogs to catch the $2 million transfer that led to the ban on Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini, a source close to football’s world governing body said.
Unleashing the Swiss-developed programme which can analyse thousands of accounts in double quick time highlights the lengths now being taken to track doubtful money transfers in world football.
“It particularly looks for accounts which have multiple holders,” said the source close to FIFA.
The software flags the names of people whose name is on an account but he or she is not the primary holder.
A similar version is also used by Germany’s Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BAFin).
“It can analyse thousands of accounts very quickly and flag up any suspect transactions,” said the source who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the Blatter-Platini case.
FIFA president Blatter and vice president Platini were both banned for eight years on Monday by FIFA’s ethics court because of irregularities in the two million Swiss franc payment made in 2011.
The two officials say the money was transferred to pay for consultancy work carried out between 1999 and 2002. — AFP.
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