Blatter Suspended............Sort Of!

[OldRobert 38]

Reported from SSN:

Sepp Blatter has been told he is facing a 90-day provisional suspension from

FIFA''s ethics committee - a move which would finally spell the end of his time

as president.

FIFA''s ethics committee met this week after the Swiss

attorney general opened criminal proceedings against Blatter over a

£1.3m payment to UEFA President Michel Platini.

It is understood

the investigatory arm has recommended a 90-day suspension for Blatter

but that the German adjudicatory judge Joachim Eckert has yet to make a

final decision.

Klaus Stohlker, a friend and adviser to Blatter,

said that FIFA''s ethics committee has made the ruling pending further

investigations by the Swiss attorney general.

He described it as a "pending" verdict, and said no negative finding had been made against Blatter.

The announcement comes just hours after Blatter criticised the criminal investigation against him in Switzerland, describing it as "outrageous".

The Swiss also defended his decision to remain as head of the football organising body and not step down immediately, as worldwide sponsors have urged.

The 90-day suspension is the longest FIFA''s ethics committee can hand down while they carry out their investigation.

Blatter

has had criminal proceedings opened against him by the Swiss Attorney

General over the case and for allegedly selling World Cup TV rights to

former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner for 20 times below their true

value.

It is not known if any action has been recommended against Platini.

Platini and Blatter have both denied any wrongdoing.

The

payment to Platini being investigated was made in February 2011 for

work he carried out as Blatter''s technical advisor more than nine years

previously, between 1999 and 2002.

Platini does not feel the need to publicly justify his £1.35m payment from FIFA despite questions being raised about the nine-year delay in receiving the money.

The

Frenchman has not publicly explained the reason for such a lengthy

delay beyond that when he started his role as Blatter''s advisor in 1999

he was told "that it was not initially possible to pay the totality of

my salary because of FIFA''sfinancial situation at that time".

Platini

says he is still determined to run for the FIFA presidency and

has provided all the necessary information to the investigating

authorities.

[lappinitup 629]

He should be suspended.....from a tree.