On this day: in history (2015), that Sepp Blatter, president of international soccer’s governing body FIFA, announced his resignation, just few days after he had been re-elected to a fifth four-year term.
Sepp Blatter led world soccer’s governing body for 17 years and was regarded as one of the most powerful people in global sports. He made his announcement in Zurich as the United States government indicted several current and former FIFA officials and sports marketing companies for bribery and money laundering.
In his announcement, Blatter indicated that he would call for elections to choose a new president of FIFA and that he would not stand in these elections, but he also said he would remain in his position until an extraordinary FIFA Congress could be held for his successor to be elected.
In October 2015, Blatter and other top FIFA officials were suspended amid the investigation, and in December the independent FIFA Ethics Committee ejected Blatter from office and banned him from taking part in any FIFA activities over the following eight years.
On 24 February 2016, a FIFA appeals committee upheld the suspension but reduced it from eight years to six. On 24 March 2021, he received a second ban for six years and was fined the amount of CHF 1,000,000 by the body’s Ethics Committee after a probe into massive bonus payments.
Issa Hayatou served as the acting President of FIFA until an extraordinary FIFA Congress was held in late February, electing Gianni Infantino as the 9th president of FIFA.
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Created by Okey Obiabunmo
