FIFA Ethics Investigator Recommends Nine-Year Ban For Jerome Valcke

The chairman of the FIFA ethics committee, Cornel Borbely, recommended a nine-year ban for secretary general Jerome Valcke on Tuesday after concluding his investigation. (Jerome Valcke's Suspension a Major Blow For FIFA Boss Sepp Blatter)

In his final report, Borbely also asked that Valcke be fined 100,000 Swiss francs (USD 100,000) and that his 90-day suspension be extended for another 45 days. (Jerome Valcke Denies 'Fabricated, Outrageous' Allegations)

Valcke, a Frenchman who served alongside Blatter for nearly a decade, was accused of violating six articles of the FIFA code of ethics, including confidentiality and conflict of interest. (Sepp Blatter 'Bewildered' by Allegations Before FIFA Ethics Case)

The former television journalist and sports marketing executive was originally banned for 90 days in October, a month after being put on leave by FIFA. The ban will expire at the end of day on Tuesday.

Last year, Valcke was implicated by a FIFA ticketing partner for using work and private email accounts to discuss a World Cup black market ticket deal.

Valcke has denied that he sought cash from sales of top-category tickets for matches at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil he knew were being offered at several times face value.

The FIFA code of ethics allows for charges of breach of confidentiality and loyalty, which could be levelled simply for doing official business through private email accounts.

A final decision on banning Valcke will come from ethics committee chairman Hans-Joachim Eckert, the judge who last month banned both Blatter and Michel Platini for eight years each.

Valcke, whose main duty at FIFA was overseeing organisation of the World Cup, rose to the top administrative job at FIFA soon after being fired in 2006 during a scandal.

As marketing director, he was implicated in misleading World Cup sponsor MasterCard during contract renewal talks. FIFA and Blatter eventually signed with Visa, provoking a legal suit from MasterCard which was settled for USD 90 million.

Valcke's conduct and business ethics were severely criticised by a New York judge who heard the case.

FIFA fired Valcke and other marketing officials involved in the deal, then re-hired him several months later as secretary general after Blatter was re-elected president.

FIFA has been in crisis since the federal investigations of bribery and corruption implicating senior football officials were revealed in May.