FIFA secretary general Valcke suspended over World Cup ticket allegations

FIFA secretary general Jérôme Valcke has been suspended and relieved of his duties pending an investigation into accusations concerning the resale of World Cup tickets ©Getty Images

FIFA has been plunged further into crisis after secretary general Jérôme Valcke was suspended and relieved of his duties following accusations he was involved in a scheme to sell World Cup tickets for above their face value.

Frenchman Valcke, who is President Sepp Blatter’s right-hand man and is tasked with the day-to-day running of world football’s governing body, has dismissed the allegations as “fabricated” and “outrageous”.

FIFA have however opted to suspend the 54-year-old pending an investigation and it has been reported that Blatter has the backing of the heads of the respective Confederations in his decision.

The development is the latest in an ongoing corruption scandal surrounding the organisation and comes after several officials were arrested on the eve of FIFA’s Congress in Zurich in May.

Nine FIFA officials and five corporate executives have been indicted in the United States and charged with offences including money laundering, racketeering and wire fraud.

It follows Switzerland’s approval of the extradition of Uruguay’s Eugenio Figueredo, who was one of seven officials detained in the Swiss city earlier this year, as well as comments from United States Attorney General Loretta Lynch, who has warned there could be further arrests made as part of their probe into widespread corruption within football.

“FIFA announced that its secretary general Jérôme Valcke has been put on leave and released from his duties effective immediately until further notice,” a FIFA statement read.

“Further, FIFA has been made aware of a series of allegations involving the secretary general and has requested a formal investigation by the FIFA Ethics Committee.”

Jérôme Valcke is FIFA President Sepp Blatter's right-hand man and the news provides another blow to an organisation already in deep turmoil ©Getty Images

Valcke, who has held his role within FIFA since 2007, was at the centre of allegations concerning a $10m (£6.5m/€8.7m) bribe, reportedly given to disgraced FIFA vice-president Jack Warner in return for his vote for South Africa’s bid to host the 2010 World Cup.

The Frenchman has always strenuously denied the claims despite reports in the American media that he was the “high-ranking FIFA official” to have signed off on the payment.

His suspension comes amid FIFA’s belated attempt at reform following the establishment of a Reform Committee, led by François Carrard, a former International Olympic Committee (IOC) director general who oversaw the reform process within the IOC following a cash-for-votes scandal in late 1998.

The news provides a further blow to FIFA as Valcke was often seen as the trusted aide and fixer for Blatter, who announced he would step down from his position as President just five days after being re-elected at a turbulent Congress.