Fifa mess: Blatter, Platini suspended

Zurich, October 8

World football chief Sepp Blatter and European boss Michel Platini were suspended on Thursday in a deepening corruption scandal, decapitating the leadership of a sport facing criminal investigations on both sides of the Atlantic.

Blatter, has been president of world governing body FIFA since 1998, was already due to stand down after an election to replace him in February. Platini, head of European body UEFA, was a frontrunner to replace him. His shrinking election hopes now depend on whether he can overturn the 90-day ban imposed by FIFA’s Ethics Committee.

Despite their denials of wrongdoing, both men have gradually been submerged by the scandal that has engulfed the world’s most popular sport, beginning with dawn raids and a series of arrests at a Swiss luxury hotel in May.

“During this time, the above individuals are banned from all football activities on a national and international level,” the Ethics Committee said. Blatter’s acting replacement is Issa Hayatou of Cameroonof the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA’s most senior vice president. — Reuters