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.
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.
Confederation of African Football president Issa Hayatou has taken temporary charge of FIFA after football’s world governing body suspended its president Sepp Blatter.
The Cameroonian, 69, is FIFA’s most senior vice-president and has been in the role since 1992.
“I will serve only on an interim basis,” Hayatou said in a statement.
Blatter announced in June he would step down and FIFA set presidential elections for 26 February.
Hayatou has “sufficient experience” to steady the FIFA ship “if he wishes to do that”
Hayatou added: “A new president will be chosen by the Extraordinary Congress… I myself will not be a candidate for that position.
“Until the Extraordinary Congress, I pledge that I will dedicate my best efforts to the organisation, the member associations, our employees, our valued partners, and football fans everywhere.
“FIFA remains committed to the reform process, which is critical to reclaiming public trust. We will also continue to cooperate fully with authorities and follow the internal investigation wherever it leads.”
Hayatou has faced allegations of corruption in the past, which he has denied. He was reprimanded by International Olympic Committee in 2011 over allegations he accepted bribes for World Cup TV rights in the 1990s.
He was elected CAF president in 1988 and earlier this year he controversially oversaw changes to the body’s rules on age limits so he could continue into the next decade.
Hayatou has also faced allegations of accepting bribes related to Qatar’s 2022 World Cup bid.
