“The case is now the subject of formal investigation proceedings”.
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The former French football legend has denied any wrongdoing in accepting a $2million payment from FIFA in 2011 for consulting work he undertook years earlier and called the ban “farcical”.
Garcia’s report has not been made public but a summary by FIFA’s ethics judge Hans-Joachim Eckert said there was not enough evidence to award a re-vote. He suggested that the association vice president should take over to oversee the election as two other candidates namely Mr Thawatchai Sajjakul and Pol Lt-Gen Pisant Chuladilok are still vying for the association’s presidency.
The ban will stop the Thai from participating in all football activities at national and global level. Larry is our main news editor.
Details of the allegations were not provided in Monday’s statement but Worawi has been under investigation for his conduct during the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding contests. “I will have the legal team send a petition to Federation Internationale de Football Association immediately under my rights”.
Earlier this month, FIFA president Sepp Blatter and UEFA president Michel Platini were implicated in the scandal and suspended from all football activities for 90 days as well by the FIFA ethics committee.
Hayatou is expected in Zurich after completing business this week with the Confederation of African Football (CAF), where he is president.
Blatter was relieved of his duties by Fifa’s ethics committee as Swiss prosecutors investigate him for criminal mismanagement.
On Sunday, a defiant Blatter told Swiss weekly Schweizer am Sonntag: “I’m a fighter”.
The seemingly never-ending turmoil at the top of football has prompted a hastily-convened meeting of FIFA’s executive committee on October 20.
The Swiss, who is a fierce critic of Blatter’s, said he had been asked to stand in the February elections but stopped short of saying by whom.
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The FIFA’s suspension comes just five days before the FAT presidential election due on Saturday.
