Fifa bans former Asian exec for 'ethics breach'
Fifa's ethics watchdog on Monday banned Thai football chief and former Fifa executive member Worawi Makudi for 90 days for an ethics breach and indicated he could face further punishment.
The ethics committee of the Zurich-based world body for football said it had acted to sideline Worawi "on the grounds that a breach of the Code of Ethics appears to have been committed and a decision on the main issue may not be taken early enough."
Worawi was banned "from all football activities at national and international level for 90 days".
The ban is effective "immediately," the committee's adjudicatory chamber said in a statement.
Worawi was a Fifa executive committee member for 18 years until May and has faced multiple allegations of wrongdoing.
The Asian Football Confederation voted this year to replace him as one of Asia's representatives on the Fifa executive.
Fifa did not give details of the breach it found Worawi had been investigated for.
"The case is now the subject of formal investigation proceedings," it said.
He has in the past been accused of misusing Fifa development funds, but has always denied the charges and never previously been sanctioned.
British media reports, never confirmed, said Worawi was one of five officials under investigation by Fifa's ethics committee for alleged misconduct in votes for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
He was found guilty in July by a Thai court of forgery in his reelection as head of the Football Association of Thailand.
Worawi told AFP he would fight to save his name and intended to stay in the Thai election even though he is banned immediately "from all football activities at national and international level for 90 days."
"I am confused by this, I just heard the news," he said.
"I am not guilty of anything," Worawi said.
"Under Thai law I still have the right to appeal (the July court decision)," he said.
"I did not falsify anything, what I did was absolutely legal."
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The ethics committee of the Zurich-based world body for football said it had acted to sideline Worawi "on the grounds that a breach of the Code of Ethics appears to have been committed and a decision on the main issue may not be taken early enough."
Worawi was banned "from all football activities at national and international level for 90 days".
The ban is effective "immediately," the committee's adjudicatory chamber said in a statement.
Worawi was a Fifa executive committee member for 18 years until May and has faced multiple allegations of wrongdoing.
The Asian Football Confederation voted this year to replace him as one of Asia's representatives on the Fifa executive.
Fifa did not give details of the breach it found Worawi had been investigated for.
"The case is now the subject of formal investigation proceedings," it said.
He has in the past been accused of misusing Fifa development funds, but has always denied the charges and never previously been sanctioned.
British media reports, never confirmed, said Worawi was one of five officials under investigation by Fifa's ethics committee for alleged misconduct in votes for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
He was found guilty in July by a Thai court of forgery in his reelection as head of the Football Association of Thailand.
Worawi told AFP he would fight to save his name and intended to stay in the Thai election even though he is banned immediately "from all football activities at national and international level for 90 days."
"I am confused by this, I just heard the news," he said.
"I am not guilty of anything," Worawi said.
"Under Thai law I still have the right to appeal (the July court decision)," he said.
"I did not falsify anything, what I did was absolutely legal."
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