FIFA has slapped a new football ban on former president Sepp Blatter after he was found guilty of various violations of the organization's Code of Ethics.
In a statement released on FIFA’s official website, Blatter and former FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke were both said to have been found guilty by the adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee.
While the investigation covered various charges against each man, the key focus was on bonus payments in relation to FIFA competitions that were paid to top FIFA management officials.
Other charges included, but were not limited to: “Various amendments and extensions of employment contracts, as well as reimbursement by FIFA of private legal costs in the case of Mr Valcke."
The men were found guilty of breaching numerous legal articles, including duty of loyalty, conflicts of interest, and offering and accepting gifts or other benefits.
Both have been hit with bans of six years and eight months.
This is not the first the pair have been banned from football. Blatter, 85, is currently serving a six-year ban, which expires this October. While Valcke’s 10-year ban is set to run until 2025.
The new bans will begin as soon as they old ones expire, and a fine of 1 million Swiss francs (€900,000 / $1.07 million) has also been imposed on each individual.
This will be greatly unwelcome news for Blatter who has recently been in poor health and was put in an induced coma for a week following heart surgery last December.
Also on rt.com ‘We had no choice’: FIFA launches criminal complaint against ex-boss Blatter over ‘suspicious $554MN football museum finances’