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FIFA suspends Sepp Blatter, Michel Platini and Jerome Valcke

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Sepp Blatter, Michel Platini and Jerome Valcke have been suspended

Sepp Blatter, Michel Platini and Jerome Valcke have been suspended by FIFA's ethics committee for 90 days as investigations continue over their conduct.

Outgoing FIFA president Blatter and UEFA president Platini - who had been favourite to succeed the 79-year-old - will now not be involved in any football activity for the next three months while investigations continue. The 90-day ban can also be extended by a further 45 days.

A statement from FIFA's ethics committee stated that the suspensions come into force immediately and that the individuals were "banned from all football activities on a national and international level".

FIFA presidential candidate and former vice president Chung Mong-joon has been banned for six years and fined 100,000 Swiss francs for breaking rules during the 2022 World Cup bid campaign. 

FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter and UEFA President Michel Platini
Image: Sepp Blatter (left) and UEFA president Michel Platini have been banned

Valcke had already been put on leave last month after being the subject of allegations over a deal for black market sales of tickets to 2014 World Cup matches.

Issa Hayatou, president of Africa's football confederation (CAF), has been confirmed as FIFA's acting president on the back of statutes stating the most senior vice-president should step in.

Hayatou's appointment carries its own controversy - he was reprimanded by the International Olympic Committee in 2011 over a payment made to him by FIFA's former marketing agency ISL during the 1990s.

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The man in line to be acting president of UEFA, Spain's Angel Villar Llona, also has an ethics committee investigation hanging over him for refusing to co-operate properly with the inquiry into the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids.

Platini's ban means that he will not be able to attend the Euro 2016 draw in Paris on December 12 - a bitter blow to the 60-year-old in his own country.

Blatter's lawyers issued a statement claiming the ethics committee should have allowed him to be heard.

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The statement said: "President Blatter was 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.

"Further, 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.

"In fact, the prosecutors will be obliged by law to dismiss the case if their investigation, barely two weeks old, does not establish sufficient 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."

Former FIFA vice president Chung Mong-Joon
Image: Former FIFA vice president Chung Mong-Joon has been banned for six years

The suspensions end on February 20 - only six days before the election of Blatter's successor is due to take place - meaning a disciplinary hearing would have to take place before that time.

The pair can appeal against the suspension to FIFA's appeals committee within two days of being notified of the decision but they will remain suspended at least until the appeal is held.

The FIFA ethics committee met this week after the Swiss Attorney General opened criminal proceedings against Blatter over a £1.35m payment to Platini and recommended the suspension on Wednesday.

The payment to Platini being investigated was made in February 2011 for work he carried out as Blatter's technical advisor more than nine years previously, between 1999 and 2002.

The Frenchman has not publicly explained the reasons for such a lengthy delay other that when he started his role as Blatter's advisor in 1999 he was told "that it was not initially possible to pay the totality of my salary because of FIFA's financial situation at that time".

FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke admits the corruption scandal is deterring World Cup sponsors
Image: FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke is also suspended

Blatter described the criminal investigation last week against him as "outrageous". He also defended his decision to remain as head of the world football body and not step down immediately, as worldwide sponsors have urged.

Platini released a statement on Thursday calling the stories surrounding his suspension as a "leak" and was "essentially an attempt to damage my reputation".

He also submitted the letters of nomination from supporting associations to FIFA but his hopes of running for president appeared to have been dashed.

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