FIFA on Wednesday said it had fired Sepp Blatter's former right-hand man, Jerome Valcke, the latest casualty in a multi-layered scandal that has brought down the most powerful figures in world football. Valcke was FIFA's secretary general for nearly a decade, working alongside the body's then president Blatter, who has been banned for eight years over an ethics violation.
Valcke, 55, was himself facing a possible nine-year ban sought by FIFA investigators over his alleged role in a scheme to sell 2014 World Cup tickets on the black market. In a statement, FIFA said his employment contract had been "terminated", even before a verdict in the ticket case was decided. "The FIFA emergency committee decided, on 9 January 2016, to dismiss Jerome Valcke from the position of FIFA secretary general with immediate effect," the statement said.
Valcke's US-based lawyer Barry Berke said his client "remains confident that he will be fully vindicated and history will recognise all of his contributions to the sport he loves." He "is proud of all that was accomplished for the game of football during his long tenure as Secretary General," Berke added in an email sent to AFP. FIFA said that Markus Kattner will continue to serve as acting secretary general, the body's number two post. FIFA first suspended Valcke on September 17, when ethics committee investigators began probing the ticketing scheme. The suspension was renewed on January 6.
Investigators wrapped up that inquiry last week and called for a fine of 100,000 Swiss francs ($99,000/92,000), along with the lengthy ban. Valcke has also been linked to a $10 million payment made by South Africa to corruption-tainted former Caribbean football chief Jack Warner. US investigators reportedly believe this was a bribe to secure votes for the 2010 World Cup.
But Valcke had been a controversial figure even before he was tipped as secretary general. While serving as FIFA's marketing director in 2006, the Frenchman was sacked over a battle with credit card sponsors Mastercard. Valcke negotiated a deal with Visa that excluded long-time sponsors Mastercard and FIFA later had to pay $90 million in compensation. A New York judge said Valcke had lied to both companies. He was sacked as marketing director, but after the compensation deal, Blatter reappointed him as his deputy. Blatter was banned by FIFA judges last month over a two million Swiss francs ($2 million/1.8 million euro) payment to FIFA vice president Michel Platini, the president of UEFA. Platini, once Blatter's heir apparent, has also been banished for eight years. Swiss prosecutors have opened a criminal case targeting Blatter over the payment, and Valcke's emails have been turned over to investigators in Bern as evidence in the case.