Zurich: Fifa's ethics watchdog on Monday banned Thai football chief and former Fifa executive member Worawi Makudi for 90 days for an ethics breach, and indicated he could face further punishment.
Worawi Makudi says he will fight for justice. reuters
In Bangkok, Worawi, 63, insisted on his innocence and said he would appeal the suspension.
The Football Association of Thailand president said he would fight to save his name and intended to contest Saturday's FAT election.
"I am confused by this. I am not guilty of anything," Worawi said.
"I don't want to comment too much now. But this is very bad for my reputation. I will fight for justice. I don't know why the committee issued the order. This causes damage to my reputation and I will appeal."
Fifa's ethics committee said it had acted to sideline Worawi "on the grounds that a breach of the Code of Ethics appears to have been committed and a decision on the main issue may not be taken early enough".
Worawi was banned "from all football activities at national and international level for 90 days".
"The ban is effective immediately," said a statement released by the committee's adjudicatory chamber.
Worawi was a Fifa executive committee member for 18 years until May when he lost the seat and has faced multiple allegations of wrongdoing.
The Asian Football Confederation voted in May to replace him as one of the AFC's representatives on the Fifa executive.
Fifa did not give details of the breach Worawi had been investigated for.
"The case is now the subject of formal investigation proceedings," it said.
He has in the past been accused of misusing Fifa development funds, but has always denied the charges and never previously been sanctioned.
British media reports, never confirmed, said Worawi was one of five officials under investigation by Fifa's ethics committee for alleged misconduct in votes for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
At home, he was found guilty and received a suspended jail term in July by a court of forgery ahead of the previous FAT presidential election in 2013 which he won.
Worawi has been FAT president since 2007 and is seeking another term in Saturday's election.
He is challenged by former national team manager Vanasthana (formerly Thavatchai) Sajakul and Pisan Jundilok, a regional police chief.
Worawi insisted yesterday he would maintain his candidacy in the election.
"I will stand, I have done nothing wrong but it depends on Fifa," he said
But it is unclear if the election will go ahead as scheduled as some reports claimed yesterday it may be postponed.
Yesterday's ban follows matching suspensions handed out to beleaguered outgoing Fifa president Sepp Blatter and European football boss Michel Platini last Thursday.
Meanwhile, acting Fifa president Issa Hayatou has delayed his arrival by 24 hours.
Hayatou had been set to turn up at Fifa's Zurich headquarters to assume command today, but the 69-year-old African football boss's arrival is "now expected on Wednesday [tomorrow]", a Fifa press spokesperson told AFP.
He was appointed caretaker boss of Fifa in his capacity as its oldest serving vice-president.
Hayatou was in his native Cameroon at the weekend, and has since moved on to the Gabon capital Libreville to take charge of a Confederation of African Football meeting.
Blatter was relieved of his duties by Fifa's ethics committee as Swiss prosecutors investigate him for criminal mismanagement.
The 79-year-old, who was due to stand aside from the organisation he has run since 1998 in February, is appealing his suspension.
On Sunday, a defiant Blatter told Swiss weekly Schweizer am Sonntag: "I'm a fighter. They can destroy me, but they can't destroy my life's work."
Platini, the Uefa president and a front runner to succeed Blatter, is also appealing his ban.
The French football legend has denied any wrongdoing in accepting a US$2 million payment from Fifa in 2011 for consulting work he undertook years earlier and called the ban "farcical".
Uefa is holding crisis talks on Thursday to discuss Platini's plight followed by a press conference. bangkok post/agencies