The nightmare for Fifa president Sepp Blatter, general secretary Jerome Valcke as well as UEFA president Michel Platini has come true after the world football body confirmed the provisional suspension of the trio running up to 90 days.
Hans‑Joachim Eckert, the chairman of the adjudicatory chamber of the Ethics Committee, said in a statement that including the 90-day suspension which comes into force "immediately", the ban for the trio also could be extended for an additional period of at least 45 days.
"The adjudicatory chamber of the ethics committee chaired by Hans‑Joachim Eckert has provisionally banned Fifa President Joseph S. Blatter, Uefa President and Fifa Vice-President Michel Platini, and Fifa secretary general Jerome Valcke (who has already been put on leave by his employer Fifa) for a duration of 90 days," the statement from Fifa said.
"The duration of the bans may be extended for an additional period not exceeding 45 days.
The statement also mentioned that former Fifa vice-president Chung Mong-joon has been awarded a severe punishment and has been bannded for six years, as well as fined a hefty penalty.
"The former Fifa vice-president Chung Mong-joon has been banned for six years and fined 100,000 (Swiss Francs)," the statement said.
"During this time, the above individuals are banned from all football activities on a national and international level. The bans come into force immediately."
The provisional suspension of Platini by Fifa from all football-related activities does not mean the end of his journey to become the next president as of now, however.
"That [Platini's candidacy] is not a question for the ethics committee but for Fifa's electoral commission, which will study its validity," Fifa ethics committee spokesman Andreas Bantel told AFP.
