FIFA bans Blatter for second time over financial wrongdoing

Sepp Blatter, the former chief of football’s world governing body FIFA, has been banned for a second time by the organisation over financial wrongdoing, seven months before the 85-year-old’s first ban expires.

FIFA said on Wednesday its ethics committee banned both Blatter and former Secretary-General Jerome Valcke for six years and eight months for financial wrongdoing linked to awarding themselves contractual bonuses worth millions of dollars.

Both men, who also face criminal proceedings in Switzerland, will start serving the new bans when their current ones expire.

Blatter and Valcke were previously banned for six years and 10 years respectively in separate cases.

Blatter’s first ban expires in October and Valcke’s initial ban will be served in October 2025.

In the latest case, both men were each fined one million Swiss francs ($1.07m).

It is unclear what power FIFA has to enforce payment.

Blatter has recently been in poor health and was put in an induced coma for one week after undergoing heart surgery in December last year.

FIFA’s allegations of self-dealing in bonus payments led to former finance director Markus Kattner being banned for 10 years last year.