FIFA suspends Secretary General due to alleged unethical conductSeptember 18, 2015 - 11:19 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - FIFA suspended President Sepp Blatter's right-hand man Jerome Valcke on Thursday, September 17, and ordered an investigation into alleged unethical conduct, throwing world soccer's scandal-scarred governing body into further turmoil, the Associated Press reports. Valcke, FIFA's secretary general for the past eight years under the embattled Blatter, was hours earlier the subject of allegations over a deal for black market sales of tickets to 2014 World Cup matches. "FIFA today announced that its Secretary General Jerome Valcke has been put on leave and released from his duties effective immediately until further notice," the governing body said in a brief statement which did not specify details. "Further, FIFA has been made aware of a series of allegations involving the secretary general and has requested a formal investigation by the FIFA Ethics Committee." A call to Valcke's mobile phone was not answered late Thursday. It was unclear if he was already in Russia where the 1,000-day countdown to the 2018 World Cup kickoff is being marked Friday in Red Square, Moscow. Valcke is scheduled to leave FIFA at the end of February with Blatter, and has acknowledged that the next FIFA president should appoint his own secretary general to have a fresh start for a new administration. Top stories Armenian gymnast, Olympic bronze medalist Artur Davtyan has reached the finals of the World Cup. Gor Manvelyan has denied reports alleging that he has expressed a desire to one day play for the French national team. Roma midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan is not considering FC Spartak Moscow as his next haven, according to fresh reports. 10 Armenian lifters will compete in the 2021 World Championships scheduled to be held from 7 to 17 December in Tashkent. Partner news | Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia. U.S. welcomes efforts to define Armenia-Azerbaijan border The United States welcomes efforts to define the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, says Vedant Patel. Biden honors resilience of Armenian people on April 24 U.S. President Joe Biden has issued a statement on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. |