All appears calm at FIFA’s headquarters in Zurich, the day after it emerged FIFA President, Sepp Blatter, faces an imminent 90-day suspension from football if the governing body’s ethics judge backs a prosecutor’s recommendation.
Blatter’s long-term confidant, Klaus Stoehlker revealed on Wednesday that the decision by Judge Hans-Joachim Eckert on the provisional suspension was expected by Friday.
FIFA’s ethics code provides for a representative of the investigatory chamber to look into a case and make a request to Eckert’s adjudicatory chamber to take action.
If Eckert does opt for a suspension it would also leave the strife-ridden body without either of its top two officials.
Blatter, 79, is already facing a criminal investigation by Swiss prosecutors but the pressure was turned up when major FIFA sponsors – including McDonald’s and Coca-Cola – called for Blatter to go immediately.
Blatter, who has been in charge of FIFA since 1998, denies any wrongdoing but the investigation centres on a TV deal in 2005.