Issa Hayatou named FIFA Acting President

CAF president Issa Hayatou

Issa Hayatou will serve as acting president of Fifa, the world governing body has announced.

Fifa said on Thursday morning that Sepp Blatter had been relieved of his duties and that Issa Hayatou, the head of African football from Cameroon, would be acting president.

The Fifa statement said, “Today, in accordance with Fifa’s code of ethics, Joseph S. Blatter was relieved of all his duties as Fifa president following the decision to provisionally ban him from all football activities on a national and international level.

“Joseph S. Blatter, for the duration of the 90-day ban, is not allowed to represent Fifa in any capacity, act on the organisation’s behalf, or communicate to media or other stakeholders as a Fifa representative.

“Issa Hayatou, as the longest-serving vice-president on Fifa’s executive committee, will serve as acting president of Fifa.”

Blatter is disappointed that Fifa‘s ethics committee did not speak with him before provisionally suspending him, lawyers for the world soccer body‘s president said on Thursday.

“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,” Blatter‘s lawyers said in an emailed statement.

“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.”

Blatter’s lawyers said he was looking forward to presenting evidence that will prove he did not engage in any misconduct.