90 day suspension
Blatter, Platini and Valcke are suspended for 90 days by FIFA’s ethics committee. Blatter’s lawyers say he is “disappointed” the committee had not followed its own code in allowing him an opportunity to be heard.
[The suspension is based on] a misunderstanding of the actions of the attorney general in Switzerland. President Blatter looks forward to the opportunity to present evidence that will demonstrate that he did not engage in any misconduct, criminal or otherwise.
Valcke says the suspension is “farcical” and based on “based on mere semblances”:
I refuse to believe this is a political decision taken in haste in order to taint a lifelong devotee of the game or crush my candidacy for the Fifa presidency.
UEFA says it has full confidence in Platini and will not remove him from duties while the FIFA suspension is ongoing.
Criminal proceedings start
The Swiss attorney general’s office says announces criminal proceedings against Blatter, saying he is suspected of criminal mismanagement or misappropriation over a TV rights deal he signed with Warner, the former Caribbean football chief in 2005. Blatter is also suspected of ‘a disloyal payment’ against FIFA of two million Swiss francs to UEFA president Platini in 2011. Platini is the favourite to succeed Blatter. Under Swiss law, a payment is classified disloyal if it is against the best interest of the employer. Blatter’s offices are raided, and he is interrogated in the afternoon, after chairing a meeting of FIFA’s executive committee.
Suspended
Valcke is put on leave and released from his duties as Secretary General until further notice, after newspaper allegations implicated him in a scheme to sell World Cup tickets for above face value. Valcke denies the allegations saying they are:
Fabricated, outrageous.
Says Blatter deserves Nobel prize
Putin praises Blatter in an interview by the Swiss broadcaster RTS:
We all know the situation developing around Mr Blatter right now. I don’t want to go into details but I don’t believe a word about him being involved in corruptiton personally. I think people like Mr Blatter or the heads of big international sporting federations, or the Olympic Games, deserve special recognition. If there is anyone who deserves the Nobel prize, it’s those people.
Pleads not guilty
Webb pleads not guilty to federal racketeering and bribery charges in connection with a massive corruption scandal. He surrenders his passports and is released on $10 million bond. He will be confined to a home in New York and subject to electronic monitoring.
World Cups will not be revoked
FIFA announces that the 2018 and 2022 World Cups will still be held in Russia and Qatar, respectively. Although there were suspicions that the voting process which was used in determining who the host nations would be were tainted, FIFA president Blatter, has stated that no evidence of wrong doing has been discovered, and therefore the originally chosen host countries will not be changed.
There is no reason to say that our decisions were wrong. So we will go on sticking to our decisions.