A number of top international soccer officials – FIFA President Sepp Blatter, Secretary General Jerome Valcke and UEFA President Michel Platini – were issued 90-day suspensions by FIFA today. The adjudicatory chamber of FIFA's Ethics Committee said that the bans "come into force immediately and could be extended by another 45 days." FIFA presidential hopeful Chung Mong-joon was banned six years and fined $103,000 (CNN.com, 10/8). Platini, who had been “seen as the favorite to replace” Blatter as president, filed his paperwork “to officially become a candidate earlier Thursday but it is unclear whether he will be permitted to stand” (NYTIMES.com, 10/8).
Blatter will be replaced in the interim by Confederation of African Football President Issa Hayatou, in accordance with FIFA statutes demanding that the "most senior vice-president will stand in for the president" (THETIMES.co.uk, 10/8). Hayatou is the "man reprimanded by the IOC for conflict of interest over ISL payments" (TWITTER.com, 10/8).
Blatter's lawyer, Richard Cullen, said that the FIFA Ethics Committee "failed to follow the proper procedure when it decided to ban him." Cullen added that the committee "based its decision on a 'misunderstanding'" (AP, 10/8).
