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Sepp Blatter's controversial reign as the godfather of world soccer effectively came to an end on Thursday, as the FIFA president was formally suspended for 90 days by his own organization. Blatter's suspension by the ethics committee of the organization he has led since 1998 should be the final blow for the much-maligned 79-year-old and was the clearest sign yet FIFA knows it has to clear house if reform is to be achieved. Also suspended was Michel Platini, head of Europe's UEFA confederation and widely seen as the second most powerful man in the game behind Blatter. 

Following a United States Justice Department investigation into alleged widespread FIFA corruption, Blatter announced in June that he would step down once elections to appoint his successor, provisionally set for early 2016, had been carried out. Platini had been one of the frontrunners to succeed Blatter, but Thursday's suspension leaves the Frenchman's bid in tatters. The decision of FIFA's ethics committee comes in the wake of a pending criminal investigation by Switzerland's legal authorities, investigating payments made from Blatter to Platini in 2011 – for work carried out between 1998 and 2002 – totaling two million Swiss francs ($2.06 million).

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Ngwa Bertrand

08.Oct.2015

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African football leader, Issa Hayatou has been named to take charge of FIFA after former president, Blatter was suspended and “stripped of all duties.” African football leader Issa Hayatou on Thursday took temporary charge of FIFA after Sepp Blatter was “relieved of his duties” because of his 90-day suspension, the world body said.

Hayatou, 69, is president of the Confederation of African Football, and takes over as senior vice president of FIFA. He has in the past been reprimanded for misconduct by the International Olympic Committee. 

“Joseph S. Blatter was relieved of all his duties as FIFA president” after the move by the FIFA ethics committee to suspend him for 90 days because he is under criminal investigation by Swiss prosecutors, FIFA said.

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Ngwa Bertrand

08.Oct.2015

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The Lions of Cameroon are in Waterloo for their friendly match next Sunday in the Kingdom of Belgium. The Lions have been stationed at the Joli Bois sports complex in Waterloo, a town south of Brussels (Belgium). 17 of the 25 players summoned by Volker Finke were present for the first training course aimed at a friendly against Nigeria at the Van Roy Denderleeuw stadium.

The team is expected to be complete late today Wednesday with the arrival of Joel Matip, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Allan Nyom or Ambroise Oyongo. Clinton Njie and Aurélien Chedjou, injured at the last meeting, have all joined the squad including two new players; Sébastien Siani and Fai Collins. Sunday Oliseh, the Nigerian head coach has shortlisted 24 players for this international break during which his team will meet with DRC, in addition to Cameroon. In his quest for revenge against what happened in Lagos 2000, Oliseh has recalled all the big names: John Mikel Obi, Victor Moses and Odion Ighalo. 

Cameroon and Nigeria agree on everything except football. Rivals since time immemorial, Cameroon and Nigeria have not met since the Africa Cup of Nations 2004 that witnessed the elimination of the Lions in the quarterfinals. Therefore, Sunday's game will go well beyond a simple friendly.

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Ngwa Bertrand

07.Oct.2015

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FIFA President Sepp Blatter could face a provisional suspension of 90 days by the organization's Ethics Committee, according to media reports. A final decision on Blatter's immediate fate is expected this week.

Klaus Stöhlker, who has advised Blatter in the past, told journalists the Ethics Committee called for the 90-day provisional suspension pending further investigations by the Swiss attorney general.

"There is no final decision, this is a recommendation from the lower part of the Ethics Committee to the upper part," Stöhlker said, according to Reuters news agency.

The decision by the committee still needs to be ratified by the adjudicatory chamber of the Ethics Committee, which is led by German judge Hans-Joachim Eckert.

"President Blatter will be in his office at FIFA tomorrow," Stöhlker said.

Commenting on the Wednesday reports, Blatter's lawyers said their client had not been informed of any action taken by the FIFA ethics committee.

Lawyers Lorenz Erni and Richard Cullen said they "would expect that the ethics committee would want to hear from the president and his counsel, and conduct a thorough review of the evidence, before making any recommendation to take disciplinary action."

Blatter is under criminal investigation in Switzerland regarding a television contract and an alleged "disloyal payment" in 2011 of 2 million Swiss francs (today worth $2 million, 1.8 million euros) to UEFA President Michel Platini. Both have denied any wrongdoing.

Major sponsors have called on Blatter to step down from his office. However, the 79-year-old FIFA chief has insisted he will not resign .

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Ngwa Bertrand

07.Oct.2015

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