FIFA leader is ousted; his legal team says full vindication awaits
Jerome Valcke. Celso Pupo / Shutterstock.com
The secretary general of world soccer’s organizing body has been fired after months of turmoil over claimed illegal conduct within the organization that resulted in a U.S. racketeering prosecution.
However, Jerome Valcke is not a defendant in that case, and a Wednesday announcement by the Zurich-based group gave no reason for his dismissal. It said the FIFA Emergency Committee had decided Saturday to dismiss Valcke, effective immediately, Reuters reports.
His legal team responded to Valcke’s ouster by telling the Associated Press that FIFA’s second in command “is proud of all that was accomplished for the game of football during his long tenure as secretary general, including two of the most successful World Cups in history in South Africa and Brazil.
“He remains confident that he will be fully vindicated and history will recognize all of his contributions to the sport he loves,” the legal team says.
Valcke was suspended by FIFA in September, and an ethics investigation was announced, after emails suggested he had sought to profit personally from World Cup ticket sales, the Wall Street Journal (sub. req.) reported at the time.
The FIFA ethics case is ongoing.
Related coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “FIFA officials indicted by US in claimed $150M ‘World Cup of Fraud’ scheme”
ABAJournal.com: “More arrests and charges in FIFA corruption probe should be expected, says AG Lynch”
