Platini calls reports of a 90-day suspension ‘insidious’

Blatter’s long-term confidant Klaus Stoehlker said the decision by judge Hans-Joachim Eckert on the provisional suspension was expected by Friday.

Fifa president Sepp Blatter has labelled the furore over a criminal investigation into his activities as “outrageous” and insists he will only leave his role on the day of the election to find his successor.

Specifically, he is accused making a “disloyal” (unfair) payment to UEFA boss Michel Platini in 2011, and sanctioning a TV rights deal for former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner that led Warner to profit by millions of dollars.

Mr Platini, who was the frontrunner to replace Mr Blatter when he left his post in February, denies and wrongdoing.

“President Blatter will be in his office at Fifa tomorrow”, he said.

The ethics committee, bound by FIFA’s code of ethics which does not allow communications about ongoing probes, refused to confirm or deny to INSIDER that Blatter’s suspension had been requested. “He is calm. Remember he is the father of the ethics committee“. ‘I plan to sue Mr. Blatter on his embezzlement in court’.

Chung later condemned the decision not to investigate fellow presidential candidate Platini’s support for the Qatar bid.

“Back in 2002 during an exco meeting I asked President Blatter about his salary and expenses but he refused”, Chung told a press conference on Wednesday.

“Mr. Blatter was said to still be working at FIFA’s Zurich headquarters as of Wednesday (yesterday) evening and his lawyer rejected reports that a decision had been reached”, the NY Times reported.

And today events appeared to take yet another dramatic twist in the now long-running saga surrounding outgoing Fifa President Sepp Blatter.

“My understanding is the amount of money I can claim against President Blatter is in proportion to the amount of damage he inflicted on FIFA”, Chung said.

UEFA’s head of communications Pedro Pinto, speaking in London at the Leaders in Sport business summit, said: “The president currently feels that he has given satisfactory explanations to the authorities that are dealing with this case”. He provided the investigation with all the information related to the transaction and has so far only been a witness in the case.

“The situation is not pleasant”, Blatter told Bunte magazine.

He said: “Mr Platini should be punished for his violation of FIFA regulations”.

FIFA declined to comment on Chung’s speech referring inquires to Blatter’s lawyer, who was not immediately available for comment.