Zurich, Jan 5 (IANS) FIFA’s ethics committee recommended a nine-year ban and a fine of 100,000 Swiss francs (Rs.65,94,608) on the world football governing body’s suspended secretary general Jerome Valcke on Tuesday.
Valcke was suspended by the ethics committee on October 8. The Frenchman’s initial 90-day suspension from all football-related activities ended on Tuesday. The committee requested a 45-day extension of the suspension.
The committee recommended the punishment for alleged “misuse of expenses and other infringements of FIFA’s rules and regulations”.
A statement from FIFA said the chairman of the investigatory chamber of the ethics committee, Cornel Borbely, concluded his investigation into the activities of Valcke requesting an extension of the suspension for a further 45 days.
“The chairman of the investigatory chamber of the Ethics Committee recommended imposing a sanction of a nine-year ban and a fine of CHF 100,000 on Mr Valcke for alleged violation of the general rules of conduct (Art. 13 of the FIFA Code of Ethics (FCE)), loyalty (Art. 15 FCE), confidentiality (Art. 16 FCE), duty of disclosure, cooperation and reporting (Art. 18 FCE), conflicts of interest (Art. 19 FCE), offering and accepting gifts and other benefits (Art. 20 FCE) and general obligation to collaborate (Art. 42 FCE),” FIFA’s statement said.
“Until a formal decision is taken by the adjudicatory chamber of the Ethics Committee, Mr Valcke is presumed innocent.”
FIFA president Sepp Blatter and vice president Mixchel Platini have been earlier suspended for 8 years for corruption.
The US prosecutors are currently investigating a massive financial scandal and has so far charged 41 people, including Blatter and other top FIFA officials, for offences including corruption, fraud and money laundering.