Issa Hayatou to take over as acting FIFA president following suspension of Blatter

Issa Hayatou will take over as acting FIFA President after Sepp Blatter,79, was provisionally suspended for 90 days from any football-related activity on Thursday by an ethics committee.

The 69-year-old Cameroonian former athlete and president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has taken over, in accordance with FIFA statutes, as the longest-serving vice-president on FIFA's executive committee.

Also suspended are UEFA president Michel Platini and FIFA secretary-general Jerome Valcke for 90 days.

Presidential candidate Chung Mong-joon has been banned for six years and fined 100,000 Swiss francs.

FIFA PRESIDENT BLATTER AND UEFA CHIEF PLATINI ISSUE STATEMENTS

Sepp Blatter statement 

Blatter's lawyers issued a statement claiming the ethics committee should have allowed him to be heard.

The statement said: 'President Blatter was disappointed that the ethics committee did not follow the code of ethics and disciplinary code, both of which provide for an opportunity to be heard. Further, the ethics committee based its decision on a misunderstanding of the actions of the Attorney General in Switzerland, which has opened an investigation but brought no charge against the president.

'In fact, the prosecutors will be obliged by law to dismiss the case if their investigation, barely two weeks old, does not establish sufficient evidence. President Blatter looks forward to the opportunity to present evidence that will demonstrate that he did not engage in any misconduct, criminal or otherwise.'

Michel Platini statement

UEFA president Platini claimed the fact that news of the impending ban was leaked on Wednesday was an attempt to damage his reputation.

'It was reported last night that the investigatory chamber of the FIFA Ethics Committee intends to recommend to its adjudicatory chamber that I be given a 90-day suspension,' read a statement before the decision was confirmed.

'This deliberate leak – which is insidious in nature and has come about in an unacceptable manner – is essentially an attempt to damage my reputation. Over the last few weeks, I have stressed my willingness to cooperate fully with the authorities carrying out the various enquiries in compliance with the strictest procedural rules. FIFA, on the other hand, has clearly flouted those rules.

'I have always acted and expressed myself with honesty, courage and candour, as I feel that this is my moral duty. If what is being reported regarding the intentions of the investigatory chamber of the FIFA Ethics Committee is indeed true, I will stop at nothing to ensure that the truth is known. Nobody should be in any doubt as to my determination to achieve that objective.'