(WFI) FIFA investigators are recommending a life ban for disgraced former vice president and CONCACAF chief Jeffrey Webb.
The adjudicatory chamber of FIFA’s ethics committee today announced it was opening a case against Webb based on the report submitted by the world football federation’s investigatory panel.
Webb was arrested on the eve of the FIFA Congress in May 2015 as part of a wide-ranging investigation into a decades-long corruption and bribery scandal that brought world football’s governing body to its lowest ebb. In November, Webb pleaded guilty at the U.S. District Court in New York to one count of racketeering conspiracy, three counts of wire fraud conspiracy and three counts of money laundering conspiracy.
"The adjudicatory chamber has carefully studied the report of the investigatory chamber, under the chairmanship of Dr Cornel Borbély, and decided to institute formal adjudicatory proceedings against Mr Webb," FIFA said in a statement.
"The final report was transmitted to the adjudicatory chamber on 26 April 2016, with a recommended sanction of a lifelong ban from all football-related activities for violations of articles 13, 15, 18, 19 and 21 of the FIFA Code of Ethics."
Webb is accused of breaching FIFA's ethics rules governing bribery and corruption, conflicts of interest, loyalty, duty of disclosure, cooperation and reporting and general rules of conduct.
"During the course of these adjudicatory proceedings, Mr Webb will be invited to submit his position with regard to the final report of the investigatory chamber, including any evidence and may request a hearing," FIFA's statement added.
No further details were released.
Last month, Webb was one of three defendants to have pleaded guilty to corruption in the U.S. who said FIFA's culture was at least partly to blame for their actions.
A U.S. judge released heavily redacted transcripts of Webb’s guilty plea following a request from U.S. media outlets.
"I abused my position to obtain bribes and kickbacks for my personal benefit," Webb told the judge, according to AFP. Webb said he believed "side payments" or bribes from sports marketing companies in exchange for commercial rights to football matches were "common in this business".
Reported by Mark Bisson
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