PARIS (Reuters) - French prosecutors are investigating the decision by global soccer body FIFA to award the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the 2022 tournament to Qatar, a source close to the investigation said on Thursday. The national financial prosecutor's office (PNF), which specialises in investigating economic crimes, began a preliminary investigation last year. The source added that former FIFA president Sepp Blatter was interviewed as a witness by Swiss prosecutors in the presence of two French magistrates in Switzerland on April 20. FIFA has been in turmoil since several dozen sports officials, including a number of senior FIFA officials, were indicted in the United States on corruption-related charges in 2015. As a result, only 22 of the 24 executive committee members voted.

Source: The Star April 27, 2017 19:30 UTC