Webb banned for life by FIFA

Former CONCACAF chief and FIFA vice-president Jeffrey Webb has been banned from all football-related activities for life by FIFA’s independent Ethics Committee.

Webb pleaded guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy, three counts of wire fraud conspiracy and three counts of money laundering conspiracy in the United States last November.

Charges were brought against Webb, and a number of other FIFA officials arrested in a police operation in May 2015, as part of an FBI-led investigation into widespread corruption in world football’s governing body.

Formal proceedings were opened against Webb by the adjudicatory chamber of FIFA’s Ethics Committee in May following a final report submitted by the investigatory chamber, with the outcome being a lifetime ban and fine.

“The adjudicatory chamber of the Ethics Committee chaired by Mr Hans-Joachim Eckert has banned Mr Jeffrey Webb, former president of CONCACAF, vice-President of FIFA and president of the Cayman Islands Football Association, for life from all football-related activities on a national and international level. The ban comes into force immediately,” a FIFA statement read.

“The adjudicatory chamber of the Ethics Committee found Mr Webb guilty of violations of article 13 (General rules of conduct), 15 (Loyalty), 18 (Duty of disclosure, cooperation and reporting), 19 (Conflicts of interest) and 21 (Bribery and corruption) of the FIFA Code of Ethics (FCE).

“In consequence, Mr Webb has been banned for life from all football related activities (administrative, sports or any other) on a national and international level and fined CHF [Swiss Francs] 1,000,000 [£770,000].”

On Friday, the Ethics Committee opened a formal case against former president Sepp Blatter, as well as ex-general secretary Jerome Valcke and former finance director Markus Kattner over alleged FCE violations.