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The World Cup black market tickets investigation case against former FIFA secretary general Jérôme Valcke has closed after nine years.
The Swiss attorney general’s office said that it has decided to end the criminal proceedings into an alleged ticketing deal proposed for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
Valcke was suspended from his role with the governing body in September 2015 because of allegations that claimed he had sold World Cup tickets for above face value.
FIFA sacked him four months later and issued a ban from all footballing activity.
However, his legal representatives state that dropping the case indicates his innocence, although the 64-year-old remains banned from football by FIFA until 2032.
“This acknowledgement of Mr. Jérôme Valcke’s full innocence is the outcome that was always expected,” his lawyers in Geneva, Patrick Hunziker and Elisa Bianchetti, said in a statement.
Valcke worked alongside long-time FIFA president Sepp Blatter at the organisation from 2007 to 2015, until both were ousted following federal investigations from Swiss and American authorities into corruption within the body.
Valcke faced scrutiny for his role in an alleged $10m (£7.6m/€9.1m) bribe which he denies.
Prosecutors say the money was paid by the South African Football Association to former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner in return for his vote and backing during their successful bid to host the 2010 World Cup.
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