Jerome Valcke Suspended by FIFA Amid World Cup Ticket Allegations
FIFA have indefinitely suspended secretary general Jerome Valcke amid allegations the Frenchman was involved in a scheme that sought to profit from the sale of World Cup tickets.
FIFA announced the news via its official website, releasing a statement in which football's most powerful organisation acknowledged they were aware of the controversy surrounding Valcke:
"FIFA today announced that its Secretary General Jérôme Valcke has been put on leave and released from his duties effective immediately until further notice. 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.
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Earlier on Thursday, reports surfaced implicating Sepp Blatter's right-hand man in a scheme that saw World Cup tickets being sold above face value, with the profits going to the Frenchman, via the Guardian's Owen Gibson:
"The allegations, denied by Valcke, have been made by a consultant at a company that struck a deal with Fifa to sell tickets for the 2014 World Cup but the contract was cancelled. The claims will increase the pressure on Valcke, who is fighting on a number of fronts amid the continuing meltdown at Fifa.
Documents seen by the Guardian appear to suggest that Valcke was to be the beneficiary of an agreement to sell the tickets at inflated prices.
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While Valcke denies any wrongdoing, Gibson notes the 54-year-old was informed in April of 2013 that tickets were being sold at too high a price, and he didn't address the contract for another eight months.
BBC Radio 5 Live's Richard Conway reminded his followers he believed Valcke was considering running for FIFA president just weeks ago.
Valcke's suspension is but the latest twist in the ongoing FIFA corruption scandal, with U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch confirming investigators are increasing the scope of their investigation and expecting more charges to be filed, per Sky Sports. Conway believes the investigation is only just getting started:
As president Blatter's right-hand man, Valcke has been one of FIFA's most visible figures in the last few years, having taken up the position of secretary general in 2007. He was previously accused of making key payments in FIFA's bribery scandal, per the New York Times (via the BBC).
