Zurich: Fifa’s ethics watchdog yesterday suspended the two most powerful men in football, Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini, for 90 days in a sensational new blow to the sport’s scandal-tainted governing body.
Secretary-general Jerome Valcke was also suspended for 90 days while South Korean tycoon Chung Mong-Joon, a candidate for the Fifa presidency along with Platini, was banned outright for six years.
While Fifa said the suspensions were “provisional”, the action almost certainly signals the end of the reign of Fifa president Blatter and deals a major blow to Uefa leader Platini’s hopes of taking over.
Issa Hayatou head of the Confederation of African Football, a Blatter ally, was put in charge of the multi-billion dollar body.
Fifa said Blatter, who has been its president since 1998, had been “relieved of all his duties” during the 90 days.
Blatter, 79, is under investigation by Swiss prosecutors for criminal mismanagement.
The four football powerbrokers “are banned from all football activities on a national and international level. The bans come into force immediately”, a statement said.
Lawyers for Blatter said he was “disappointed” the ethics watchdog had failed to follow its own rules by not letting him give evidence.
“President Blatter looks forward to the opportunity to present evidence that will demonstrate that he did not engage in any misconduct, criminal or otherwise,” said a statement by Zurich lawyers Lorenz Erni, Erni Brun Forrer and US-based Richard Cullen.
Blatter and French football legend Platini have faced mounting pressure since Swiss prosecutors started their investigation on September 25.
Platini has been named in the investigation because of a two million dollar payment he received in 2011.
Platini, 60, registered his candidacy yesterday for the February 26 vote to find a successor to Blatter.
He slammed as “farcical” the Fifa ban and signalled he would pursue his campaign for the leadership of the world body.
The 54-member European body will meet at its Nyon headquarters next Thursday to discuss the crisis.