(CNN)It's
an organization that has billions of dollars in its coffers but is still using
antiquated fax machines to do business.
It was just another day at FIFA,
another crisis, as the organizations head honchos were hauled up before the
organization's disciplinary committee.
Sepp Blatter, the president of world
football's governing body, and the man who wants to replace him, Michel
Platini, head of UEFA, were both hit with 90-day suspensions.
There was also a 90-day ban for
Jerome Valcke, the general secretary, with the ethics committee investigating
allegations he participated in a scheme to profit from the sale of World Cup
tickets on the black market.
All three have just 48 hours to
appeal -- and those appeals must be sent in to FIFA not by email -- but by fax.
But while the trio are plotting
their next move, who is running world football?
Hello
Hayatou
Hayatou says he will not stand in
the FIFA presidential election in February
Issa Hayatou is the man charged with
leading FIFA while Blatter is serving his suspension by virtue of being the
longest-serving vice president.
Hayatou, who hails from Cameroon, is
the head of the African Football Confederation and has served on the executive
committee since 1990.
In 2011, Hayatou was reprimanded by
the International Olympics Committee's ethics commission after admitting he was
paid by FIFA's former marketing agency International Sport and Leisure back in
1995.
The BBC's Panorama program claimed
Hayatou received around $20,000 from ISL. He has denied any corruption and
stated that the money was a gift for his confederation.
The 69-year-old attempted to become
FIFA president in 2002 but was swept aside by Blatter in the election.
He has confirmed that he has no
intention to stand for the role on February 26 next year.
Bye
bye Blatter?
Sepp Blatter has led FIFA since 1998
Blatter has been in charge of FIFA
since 1998 but had been poised to step down from his role in February.
The 79-year-old won a fifth
consecutive presidential election on May 29 but announced that he would be
laying down his mandate on June 2 following allegations of corruption.
A statement released by the office
of the attorney general of Switzerland last month confirmed it was examining a
contract signed by Blatter with the Caribbean Football Union and an alleged
"disloyal payment" of 2 million Swiss francs (about $2 million US) to
Michel Platini, the head of European football body UEFA.
Blatter's lawyers said the Ethics
Committee had "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."
Platini
plummets?
Platini, who has run UEFA since
2007, announced that he had submitted his letters of recommendation to become
FIFA president just moments before the statement from the ethics committee was
published.
The Frenchman retains the support of
the English Football Association which made a statement Thursday.
Platini enjoyed a successful playing
career with France, winning the 1984 European Championship finals while he also
achieved success in Italy with Juventus.
He has rejected the allegations made against him.
Next
president?
With Blatter not standing for
reelection and Platini's future uncertain, the race for the FIFA presidency --
which will conclude on February 26 -- just took another twist.
Prince Ali lost to Blatter in May's
election
Anyone hoping to stand must declare
their intention to do so by October 26.
Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein, who was
defeated by Blatter in May's election, is currently favorite for the role.
South African Tokyo Sexwale, a
former political prisoner and friend of the late Nelson Mandela, could also be
a surprise candidate.
Sexwale has been part of FIFA's
anti-discrimination taskforce and has worked on helping foster a relationship
between the football associations of Israel and Palestine.
He was also a founding member of the
Makana Football Association, an unofficial football organization for
apartheid-era prisoners on Robben Island.
Former Brazil star Zico and Musa
Bility, chairman of the Liberian FA, have also announced their plans to stand.
