FIFA elections still on; Blatter not part of officials arrested

The FIFA presidential election will take place tomorrow as planned despite the arrest of seven Fifa officials on charges they received more than $150m (£100m) in bribes. 

Among those arrested is Fifa vice-president Jeffrey Webb.

A separate criminal investigation into how the 2018 and 2022 World Cups were allocated has also begun. 

But FIFA has already ruled out a revote, insisting Russia and Qatar will remain the respective hosts. The arrests were made by plain-clothes police shortly after dawn at a plush Zurich hotel where FIFA officials are staying ahead of this week's FIFA presidential election. They confirmed Blatter was not among those arrested.

Sepp Blatter faces Prince Ali bin al-Hussein in tomorrow’s election as he seeks a fifth term as FIFA president.

 FIFA issued a statement welcoming "actions that can help contribute to rooting out any wrongdoing in football". 

Swiss police made dawn raids at the Baur au Lac hotel in Zurich, where Fifa officials are staying ahead of tomorrow's presidential election. 

The seven FIFA officials were arrested after the US Department of Justice issued a 47-count indictment charging 14 defendants with racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering conspiracies in a 24-year scheme. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation,  a US law enforcement organisation, also raided the headquarters of the Confederation North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) in Miami. 

"The indictment alleges corruption that is rampant, systemic and deep-rooted," said US attorney general Loretta Lynch. 

"It spans at least two generations of soccer officials who, as alleged, have abused their positions of trust to acquire millions of dollars in bribes and kickbacks." — BBC