FIFA Appeal Committee reduces Jerome Valcke ban to 10 years
Tuesday 5 July 2016 15:32, UK
Former FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke has had his ban from football-related activities for a number of breaches of the FIFA Code of Ethics (FCE) reduced from 12 to 10 years.
Chung Mong-joon also had his ban cut from six to five years following a decision by the FIFA Appeal Committee to "partially confirm the decisions taken by the adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee".
Valcke was banned in February for financial impropriety and his involvement in a TV rights scam, while Chung's sanction was announced last October after an investigation into the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
Their censure came in the wake of bans given to ex-FIFA president Sepp Blatter and UEFA chief Michel Platini, who were initially suspended from football-related activities for eight years each for a "disloyal payment" of £1.3m between them in 2011, made without a written FIFA contract, although they were subsequently reduced to six years on appeal.
"Following the hearing of Mr Valcke held in Zurich on 24 June 2016, the FIFA Appeal Committee has partially confirmed the decision taken by the adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee on 10 February 2016 which found him guilty of infringing articles 13 (General rules of conduct), 15 (Loyalty), 16 (Confidentiality), 18 (Duty of disclosure, cooperation and reporting), 19 (Conflicts of interest), 20 (Offering and accepting gifts and other benefits) and 41 (Obligation of the parties to collaborate) of the FIFA Code of Ethics (FCE)," read an official statement.
"The FIFA Appeal Committee considered that mitigating factors had not been fully assessed by the adjudicatory chamber with regard to Mr Valcke's attempt to grant TV and media rights in the Caribbean for the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups to a third party for a fee far below their actual market value.
"Therefore, the ban imposed by the adjudicatory chamber on Mr Valcke, which entered into force on 10 February 2016, has been reduced from twelve to ten years and the fine of CHF 100,000 (£79,000) has been confirmed.
"The FIFA Appeal Committee has also partially confirmed the adjudicatory chamber's decision of 7 October 2015 concerning Mr Chung, who was found guilty of infringing articles 13, 16, 18, 41 and 42 (General obligation to collaborate) of the FCE.
"The FIFA Appeal Committee considered that the available evidence was not sufficient to establish a breach of article 16 of the FCE. Consequently, the ban imposed by the adjudicatory chamber on Mr Chung has been reduced from six to five years and the fine reduced from CHF 100,000 to CHF 50,000 (£39,500).
"As no hearing had been requested by Mr Chung, the decision was taken based on the available case file. The ban imposed on Mr Chung entered into force on 7 October 2015."
