Fifa ethics investigator recommends nine-year ban for secretary general Jerome Valcke

Sepp Blatter’s former right-hand man is facing a nine-year ban from soccer.

The Fifa ethics committee’s lead investigator, Cornel Borbely, recommended the ban for Jerome Valcke on Tuesday after concluding his inquiry. In his final report, Borbely also asked that Valcke be fined 100,000 Swiss francs (HK$775,000) and that his 90-day suspension be extended for another 45 days.

Valcke, a Frenchman who served alongside Blatter as secretary general for nearly a decade, was accused of violating six articles of the Fifa code of ethics, including confidentiality and conflict of interest.

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.

READ > Fifa crisis deepens as Sepp Blatter’s right-hand man Jerome Valcke suspended over ticket allegations

Valcke has been charged with breaching Fifa ethics rules on confidentiality and loyalty, which could be levelled simply for doing official business through private email accounts.