THE question of just who is in charge of one of the world’s most popular sports was being asked Thursday as a number of FIFA top officials were sanctioned by the organization.

    The world governing body of soccer’s disciplinary arm handed three of its leading officials — including president Sepp Blatter — provisional 90-day bans.

    UEFA President Michel Platini, who heads up the European governing body of soccer, which runs the world’s leading club competition — the Champions League — and FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke, were also banned for 90 days.

    FIFA’s disciplinary body — the adjudicatory chamber of the Ethics Committee, which is chaired by judge Hans-Joachim Eckert — said the bans came into force immediately and could be extended by another 45 days.

    Platini is a candidate to succeed Blatter as president of the organization, while another FIFA presidential hopeful Chung Mong-joon was also banned for six years and fined US$103,000. Their bans arguably give both of them reputation problems in the 2016 race election to determine who will succeed Blatter.

    Blatter, Platini, Valcke and Chung have 48 hours to appeal.

    A tax-exempt nonprofit organization, FIFA presides over one of the world’s most popular sports — it generated 2 billion pounds (US$3.06 billion) in revenue in 2014, partly helped by the success of the World Cup in Brazil.

    Neither Blatter, Platini or Chung were immediately available for comment.

    Blatter’s suspension is a humiliating outcome for the 79-year-old who has been at FIFA for 40 years.

    Even after the arrests of FIFA officials in May, which plunged the organization into crisis, Blatter promised to lead a reform process before standing down in February.

    Valcke, Blatter’s right-hand man for the past eight years, was suspended last month after allegations he was involved in a scheme to sell 2014 World Cup tickets at a marked-up price. Valcke denied the charges.

    Under FIFA’s statutes the most senior vice president, currently African football head Issa Hayatou from Cameroon, would become interim president until an election to choose Blatter’s replacement Feb. 26.

    Blatter has been president of FIFA since 1998 and has worked for the organization for 40 years, starting as a technical director before becoming secretary general under former president Joao Havelange in 1981.

    Swiss prosecutors last month opened a criminal investigation into Blatter over a Caribbean World Cup TV rights contract he signed, and a 2011 payment of 2 million Swiss francs (US$2.1 million) to Platini, whose status the Swiss attorney general has described as being between a witness and an accused person.

    Both have denied any wrongdoing.

    Media reports have suggested that Platini is also being investigated by the Ethics Committee.

    Bound by confidentiality rules, FIFA’s Ethics Committee has not commented on whether Platini is under investigation. Platini’s spokesman declined to comment.

    (SD-Agencies)