Jerome Valcke to Eventually Face Nine-Year Suspension and CHF100,000 Fine

The former secretary general of FIFA – Jerome Valcke – is to eventually face a nine-year ban from football due to the fact that FIFA investigators have found out he had violated nine ethics rules of the organisation’s code.

Corner Borbely, who has been leading the scrutiny as head of the investigatory arm of the International Federation of Association Football’s ethics committee, announced a recommendation for imposing a nine-year suspension of Valcke as well as a fine estimated to 100,000 Swiss francs. The case of the ex secretary general and right arm of the banned FIFA president Sepp Blatter has also been passed for a final decision to the adjudicatory arm of the organisation, which is currently headed by Hans-Joackim Eckert.

The ethics commission of the international football federation said that the investigatory chamber’s chairman made a recommendation of imposing a sanction of a nine-year suspension plus a financial fine of 100,000 Swiss francs. According to FIFA’s statement, Valcke has violated the general rules of loyalty, conduct, duty of disclosure, cooperation and reporting, as well as confidentiality. The organisation also shared that the former secretary general has also broken the rules of conflicts of interest because of the fact he was found guilty in “offering and accepting gifts and other benefits”.

Still, the ethics commission explained that Valcke “is presumed innocent” until a formal decision is made by the adjudicatory arm of the organisation.

Valcke has been considered a key figure in FIFA after returning for his second spell at the international football federation in 2007. However, in September 2015, he was released from duties over World Cup ticket claims.

The former secretary general was accused to have taken part in a scheme to sell the tickets in question above their face value and share in the profits. However, the plan was never enacted and Velcke insisted he was innocent, denying the allegations against him.

He got a temporary 90-day ban over the time when the ethics committee of FIFA got his case scrutinised, along with the allegations Velcke facilitated a payment of $10 million from the South African FA to a special account under the control of the former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner, who has also been alleged in various violations. The lawyer of the ex secretary general made a special statement saying that his client had done “absolutely nothing wrong”.

According to the lawyer’s statement, the ethics committee of FIFA preferred to ignore Valcke’s “exemplary conduct and extraordinary contributions” over his tenure at the position of secretary general.

In December 2015, both FIFA and UEFA presidents were officially suspended from all football operations for a period of eight years by the International Federation’s ethics committee after an investigation of a “disloyal payment” amounting to £1.35 million. Both Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini protested against the decision and insisted they were innocent, saying they would appeal.