FIFA hit by fresh corruption allegations

 ZURICH: New allegations of corruption have arisen just days before FIFA executive committee members are due to vote on football's World Cup hosts in 2018 and 2022, Swiss newspaper Sonntags Zeitung reported.

The newspaper said a list of FIFA officials who have taken "millions in payments" is circulating. "There are many names from postbox companies," an anonymous Swiss resident who has seen the list told the newspaper, which explained that some FIFA executive committee members are hiding behind these companies.

The newspaper added that a well-known member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is also on the list. The fresh allegations come just a week after FIFA's fledging ethics body slapped unprecedented one to three year suspensions on two executive committee members over misconduct or bribery on November 18, sidelining them from voting.

The scandal triggered by undercover newspaper reporters revived memories of influence-peddling at world football's governing body stretching back to the 1990s. Ethics committee chief Claudio Sulser had described the affair as damaging.