FIFA confirms ongoing proceedings against Blatter, Platini & Valcke

FIFA’s Ethics Committee has confirmed proceedings are ongoing against Sepp Blatter, Michel Platini and Jerome Valcke, with a verdict targeted before their 90-day provisional suspensions are over.

FIFA president Blatter, UEFA counterpart and FIFA presidential candidate Platini and general secretary Valcke were handed provisional 90-day bans on October 8.

Blatter is accused of making a “disloyal payment” to Platini in 2011, as well as negotiating an unfavourable television contract involving former vice-president Jack Warner. Valcke has been accused of misusing expenses and other infringements of regulations. All three deny any wrongdoing and have appealed.

Those sanctions can be extended by up to 45 days, which effectively ends Blatter’s reign over world football – with the FIFA congress to replace him scheduled for February 26 next year.

The Ethics Committee said on Wednesday it was continuing to investigate the allegations against the trio and will do everything possible to reach a speedy resolution.

A FIFA statement read: “The investigatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee has confirmed that proceedings are ongoing against FIFA President Joseph Blatter and UEFA President Michel Platini, both of whom are currently provisionally suspended. The investigation is focusing on a payment of CHF 2 million from FIFA to Michel Platini in February 2011.

“The investigatory chamber will do everything in its power to ensure that a decision can be taken by the adjudicatory chamber of the Ethics Committee, chaired by Hans-Joachim Eckert, within the 90-day suspension period (which began on 8 October 2015) of the two football officials.

“The investigatory chamber also confirms the ongoing proceedings against suspended FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke related to the suspicion of misuse of expenses and other infringements of FIFA’s rules and regulations.”

The Swiss attorney general and the FBI are also conducting investigations.

The Ethics Committee also confirmed proceedings against Angel Maria Villar Llona and Franz Beckenbauer were continuing and had been passed on to the adjudicatory chamber.