In a landmark decision which could put an end to Sepp Blatter’s 17-year reign as the FIFA president, the Ethics Committee of football’s world governing body on Thursday provisionally banned the Swiss administrator along with Michel Platini and Jerome Valcke from all football related works for ninety days with immediate effect.
Ethics Committee chaired by Hans Joachim Eckert can extended for an additional period not exceeding 45 days. During this period, they are banned from all football activities.
FIFA released a statement, which reads: “The adjudicatory chamber of the Ethics Committee chaired by Hans Joachim Eckert has provisionally banned FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter, UEFA President and FIFA Vice-President Michel Platini, and FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke (who has already been put on leave by his employer FIFA) for a duration of 90 days. The duration of the bans may be extended for an additional period not exceeding 45 days.”
Besides, former FIFA Vice-President Chung Mong-joon has been banned for six years and fined Swiss Franc 100,000.
“The former FIFA Vice-President Chung Mong-joon has been banned for six years and fined CHF 100,000. During this time, the above individuals are banned from all football activities on a national and international level. The bans come into force immediately,” the statement added.
The statement further stated that the “grounds for these decisions are the investigations that are being carried out” by the committee.
“The grounds for these decisions are the investigations that are being carried out by the investigatory chamber of the Ethics Committee. The chairman of the chamber is Dr Cornel Borbély. The investigation into Joseph S. Blatter is being carried out by Robert Torres, the investigation into Michel Platini by Vanessa Allard.”
Interestingly, UEFA chief Platini earlier today released a statement slamming the initial reports which predicted the ban, saying it was an attempt to damage his reputation.
“This deliberate leak – which is insidious in nature and has come about in an unacceptable manner – is essentially an attempt to damage my reputation,” Platini said in a statement.
He also stressed that he has willingly cooperated with the authorities and said, “Over the last few weeks, I have stressed my willingness to cooperate fully with the authorities carrying out the various enquiries in compliance with the strictest procedural rules. Fifa, on the other hand, has clearly flouted those rules.”
