FIFA on Wednesday said that former ExCo Member REYNALD TEMARII has been "banned for eight years" for accepting more than €300,00 ($340,350) from "disgraced" former Asian Football Confederation President MOHAMED BIN HAMMAM. Temarii was "found to have violated several FIFA ethics codes" (REUTERS, 5/13). ... A statement on the Asian Football Confederation website said that General Secretary ALEX SOOSAY was suspended on Wednesday by the organization following media allegations that he "attempted to tamper or hide documents during a corruption probe" in '12. The statement said that a video statement conducted as part of a FIFA investigation was "passed to media recently and the AFC has now been able to verify its authenticity" (XINHUA, 5/13). ... The world's highest rated horse, ABLE FRIEND, has been "given the green light to step into the global arena with a Royal Ascot campaign next month." Trainer JOHN MOORE confirmed on Tuesday that his champion miler would "contest the Group One Queen Anne Stakes on June 16" (SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST, 5/12).