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Tag: Blatter

  • Blatter, two others face FIFA probe over salaries

    Blatter, two others face FIFA probe over salaries

    Former FIFA president, Sepp Blatter and ex-secretary general, Jerome Valcke, already banned from football for ethics violations, are facing a fresh investigation, this time over the salaries and bonuses they received in office.

    FIFA’s ethics committee said its investigators had opened formal proceedings against both men, along with former finance director Markus Kattner, for possible ethics violations which included “bribery and corruption.”

    The suspected violations were “in the context of salaries and bonuses paid to Mr. Blatter, Mr. Valcke and Mr. Kattner as well as other provisions included in the contracts of these three individuals,” the committee said.

    They are also suspected of having breached rules on general conduct, loyalty, conflicts of interest and “offering and accepting gifts and other benefits.”

    Reuters said Blatter, Valcke and Kattner could not immediately be reached for comment.

    They have previously denied wrongdoing.

    Blatter has said his earnings were in line with top officials from professional sports leagues around the world.

    Soccer’s global governing body is attempting to recover from the worst graft scandal in its history which has seen 42 people, including former FIFA executive committee members, indicted in the United States since May last year.

    Criminal investigations are also under way in Switzerland, where FIFA has its headquarters.

     

  • FIFA: Blatter, Platini get eight-year bans

    FIFA: Blatter, Platini get eight-year bans

    FIFA president Sepp Blatter and UEFA boss Michel Platini have been suspended for eight years from all football-related activities following an ethics investigation.

    They were found guilty of breaches surrounding a £1.3m ($2m) “disloyal payment” made to Platini in 2011.

    The FIFA ethics committee found Blatter and Platini had demonstrated an “abusive execution” of their positions.

    “I will fight for me and for FIFA,” Blatter, 79, said at a news conference.

    Sepp Blatter: “The committee has no right to go against the president”

    Both men continue to deny wrongdoing and intend to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

    Swiss Blatter and 60-year-old Frenchman Platini have also been fined £33,700 ($40,000) and £54,000 ($80,000) respectively.

    FIFA boss since 1998, Blatter had already announced he was quitting with a presidential election in February.

    Platini was tipped as a future leader of football’s world governing body and is a three-time European Footballer of the Year. He is also a former captain of France and has been in charge of UEFA – European football’s governing body – since 2007.

  • FIFA panel to rule on Blatter, Platini December

    FIFA panel to rule on Blatter, Platini December

    The adjudicatory chamber of FIFA’s ethics committee has opened proceedings against suspended President Sepp Blatter and European soccer boss, Michel Platini after ethics investigators called for sanctions against both men, the football’s world governing body said on Monday.

    FIFA said on Monday the adjudicatory chamber intends to come to a decision during December.

    Reuters reported the duo were suspended for 90 days in October.

  • Blatter backs African successor

    Blatter backs African successor

    Embattled FIFA president Sepp Joseph  Blatter  has thrown his hat in the ring in support of Africa  producing the next FIFA President.

    Two Nigerians,  DR Orji Uzor Kalu and Chief Segun Odegbami have indicated interest  in the plum job.

    Speaking on a local Swiss radio station  over the weekend, Blatter said Africa  had contributed so much to the development of football that it would not be out  of place if the continent produces the next FIFA president. “Africa can produce the next FIFA president, why not. Nigeria is an interesting football country which has participated in all FIFA competitions, winning the U-17 World Cup four times and doing well at the big stage.

    “Other continents should support Nigeria because of her pedigree. The world should give Nigeria a chance because she can bring a lot of positive  developments  to world football,” he said

    Meanwhile, Blattter has also urged  FIFA to stick to the time table for the elections, affirming  that this would ensure the credibility  of the process.

    CAF  is expected to meet in Cairo next week to consider the candidacy of Kalu and Odegbami for the FIFA top job.

    There  is a proposal to bar any past FIFA  Executive  Committee  members from contesting the election due  to their indictments  over allegations  of corruption.

  • Blatter appeals against suspension

    Blatter appeals against suspension

    Joseph Blatter has appealed against his suspension by the Ethics Committee of world football body FIFA, his American lawyer Richard Cullen said on Friday.

    Cullen told newsmen that Blatter’s appeal was filed Thursday to the FIFA appeal committee.

    The news came after Blatter’s adviser Klaus Stoehlker had said an appeal against the provisional suspension would make no sense.

    The ethics committee on Thursday banned Blatter, as well as Michel Platini, the UEFA president and FIFA vice-president, for 90 days.

    The ban was in in connection with a criminal investigation by Swiss authorities.

    Blatter is suspected of mismanagement and Platini is named as the recipient of a “disloyal payment” from FIFA.

    Platini said on Thursday that he would appeal the ruling and, like Blatter, he has protested his innocence.

    Blatter and Platini are banned from all football activities for 90 days or until the appeal committee nullifies the ban.

    However, there is still the possibility of the ethics committee extending the ban for another 45 days.

    Platini is a candidate for the FIFA presidency at an extraordinary congress billed for Feb. 26, but he must however first go through an integrity check.

    Another potential candidate, Chung Mong-joon of South Korea, was banned for six years Thursday over other issues.

    As a result of this, and according to FIFA statutes, senior vice-president Issa Hayatou of Cameroon is now the acting FIFA president.

  • Blatter faults FIFA on suspension

    Blatter faults FIFA on suspension

    FIFA President Joseph Blatter on Thursday said he was not given an opportunity to be heard by the organisation’s Ethics Committee before it provisionally suspended  him for 90 days.

    “Blatter is disappointed that the Ethics Committee did not follow the Code of Ethics and Disciplinary Code, both of which provide for an opportunity to be heard,’’ Blatter’s lawyers, Lorenz Erni and Richard Cullen, said in a written statement.

    “The ethics committee based its decision on a misunderstanding of the actions of the Attorney General in Switzerland, which has opened an investigation but brought no charge against the president,’’ the lawyers added.

    They said Swiss prosecutors would be obliged by law to dismiss the case if their investigation, barely two weeks old, did not establish sufficient evidence.

    “Blatter looks forward to the opportunity to present evidence that will demonstrate that he did not engage in any misconduct, criminal or otherwise,’’ the statement added.

     

  • FIFA bans Blatter, Platini

    FIFA bans Blatter, Platini

    FIFA President Joseph Blatter and UEFA President Michel Platini have been provisionally banned from all football activities for 90 days by the organisation’s Ethics Committee.

    In further sanctions, FIFA Secretary General, Jerome Valcke, had been suspended for 90 days, while South Korean former FIFA Vice-President, Chung Mong Joon, had also been banned for six years by the Committee’s adjudicatory chamber.

    A statement said the duration of the bans may be extended for an additional period not exceeding 45 days, which would cover the FIFA extraordinary congress to elect a successor to Blatter in Zurich on Feb. 26.

    Report says Platini and Chung are two of the three candidates so far standing for election, while the other is Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan.

    The Ethics Committee said the bans were with immediate effect “and cover all football activities on a national and international level.

    “This will include the draw in Paris on Dec. 12 for Euro 2016, a showcase for UEFA pesident Platini,’’ the Ethics Committee said.

  • FIFA pick date for presidential poll

    FIFA pick date for presidential poll

    A new FIFA president will be elected at an Extraordinary Congress on February 26 next year, Goal reports.

    The date was confirmed on Monday following an Extraordinary General Meeting of the governing body in Zurich, Switzerland.

    Outgoing president Sepp Blatter laid down his mandate back in June, just four days after he won a fifth consecutive term by beating Prince Ali bin Hussein May election.

    Blatter’s decision to step down came in the wake of a corruption probe in which 14 people, including nine FIFA officials, were indicted on charges of racketeering conspiracy and corruption two days before that election.

    And his presidency will now end in seven months’ time, with UEFA president Michel Platini widely tipped as a front-runner to succeed him.

    Platini has not confirmed whether he will stand but is reported to have the support of Europe, South America and Asia as well as the CONCACAF confederations.

    It is unclear who would potentially run against Platini, although former Brazil international Zico has also stated he would like to stand for the presidency.

  • Pinnick to meet Blatter in Zurich

    Pinnick to meet Blatter in Zurich

    The president of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick, will meet with FIFA president, Sepp Blatter, in Zurich on Monday towards enhancing the growth of Nigerian football

    According to the NFF president, the meeting billed for Home of FIFA is in line with NFF administration’s vision of constantly bonding with the world body, and also to seek more FIFA projects for Nigeria.

    “Nigeria is the biggest black nation on earth. One out of every five black people in the world is a Nigerian, so our country can no longer be a silent member of world football,” Goal quoted Pinnick as saying on the NFF website.

    “Nigeria is big deal, not only because of our population, but as a result of what we bring to the table of world football, through taking part in almost all FIFA championships, one of the very few countries in the world that is able to do that.

    “Presently, we have the FIFA Technical Centre, and the FIFA Football Turf that we got through the Win-In-Africa-With-Africa programme for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. We also have approval for Centres of Excellence in Bauchi, Lagos and Anambra States.

    “However, the present NFF administration is of the view that the outstanding projects, for which approval has been secured, should commence immediately, and that Nigeria deserves more FIFA projects at this stage.”

    Pinnick is also expected to hold a meeting with Greg Dyke, Chairman of The Football Association in London on Tuesday.

  • U-17 W/C: Blatter to watch Eaglets

    U-17 W/C: Blatter to watch Eaglets

    FIFA president Joseph Sepp Blatter is expected to watch the Golden Eaglets take on Mexico live in Al-Ain today when both sides clash in the Group F opener of the U-17 World Cup.

    Influential Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Emirate, His Highness Sheik Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan , is also one of the Very-Very Important personalities (VVIP) expected at today’s game in Al-Ain.

    The Local Organising Committee (LOC), which is in Al-Ain in the heart of Abu Dhabi, has enjoyed huge patronage of the Crown Prince and it was learnt he has agreed to grace the occasion.

    “We are not actually planning an opening ceremony here per se but I’m sure the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi would be with us,” said a highly-placed source at the LOC.

    “In fact, we are hoping that FIFA President would also be at Al Ain for this important match between Nigeria and Mexico.”

    In the official countdown to Match 10 involving Mexico and Nigeria, it is confirmed that ‘ there is a possibility of the FIFA President and his guests to meet the teams’ which is an indication that the match may turn out to be a ‘final before final’ as suggested by Golden Eaglets coach Manu Garba at the official press conference on Thursday.