Sepp Blatter suspension recommended by Fifa ethics committee

This has yet to be ratified by the adjudicatory chamber of the committee, which has the final say.

But Mr Blatter’s PR advisor Klaus Stöhlker has told Channel 4 News the decision may not be taken for another 90 days.

The same ethics committee is looking into a payment received by Michel Platini from Mr Blatter. Mr Platini, who was the frontrunner to replace Mr Blatter when he left his post in February, denies and wrongdoing.

Mr Blatter’s lawyers have released a statement which said their client was unaware of any suspension or disciplinary action.

“We issue this statement in response to press reports about the FIFA Ethics Committee,” said Blatter’s Swiss lawyer Lorenz Erni of Erni Brun Forre.

“President Blatter has not been notified of any action taken by the FIFA Ethics Committee.

“We would expect that the Ethics Committee would want to hear from the President and his counsel, and conduct a thorough review of the evidence, before making any recommendation to take disciplinary action.”

In September the Swiss attorney general’s office issued a statement saying Mr Blatter is suspected of criminal mismanagement or misappropriation over a TV rights deal he signed with former Caribbean football chief Jack Warner in 2005.

He is also suspected of “a disloyal payment” of two millions Swiss francs to Uefa President Michel Platini, who is the favourite to succeed him, in 2011.

In June, Mr Blatter, who has always strongly denied any wrongdoing, announced his intention to stand down from his post, four days after being re-elected to a fifth term. He has said he plans to stay in post until February.

He had been in the post for 17 years, but had come under intense pressure following corruption allegations against Fifa officials.

Days before his announcement, the FBI raided a hotel in Zurich, where Fifa is based, and arrested several officials on charges of money laundering, racketeering and wire fraud.

A separate investigation is being carried out by the Swiss authorities into the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar.