Embattled FIFA president Sepp Blatter has been suspended for 90 days by the world soccer governing body along with other top executives.
Blatter, who has been president of FIFA for 17 years, has been accused of wrongdoing after several high level FIFA executives were charged by the U.S. Department of Justice for corruption.
In addition to Blatter, Michel Platini, president of Europe’s soccer body UEFA and favorite to replace Blatter as FIFA president, and FIFA General Secretary Jerome Valcke have been suspended by the organization’s ethics committee.
Blatter announced in June that he would resign as president of the soccer body, saying that, “While I have a mandate from the membership of FIFA, I do not feel that I have a mandate from the entire world of football.”
Though he agreed to step down, Blatter said he would not step down until a new president was elected, most likely in February.
News of the suspensions comes just days after key FIFA sponsors such as Coca-Cola, McDonalds, Anheuser -Busch and Visa, have called for Blatter to resign.
The FIFA president has refuted any claims of wrongdoing.