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FIFA bans former executive committee member Chuck Blazer from football for life

Arnd Wiegmann / REUTERS

Former FIFA executive committee member Chuck Blazer has been banned from the sport for life by football's world governing body for committing "many and various acts of misconduct."

Blazer, 70, is barred from involvement in "football-related activity at national and international level," FIFA's ethics committee announced in its statement.

The ex-CONCACAF chief is among four men to have pleaded guilty to 2013 U.S. corruption charges involving bribes of more than $100 million. Blazer admitted to receiving a $10-million inducement to support South Africa's 2010 World Cup bid.

"In his positions as a football official, he was a key player in schemes involving the offer, acceptance, payment and receipt of undisclosed and illegal payments, bribes and kickbacks as well as other money-making schemes," the ethics committee's statement read.

Blazer had reportedly been working with U.S. prosecutors as an undercover informant since 2011 following a tax investigation.

The ethics committee's investigation into Blazer was provisionally suspended in May 2013 due to his bout with rectal cancer. After the appointment of a new chief ethics investigator in December, the case was re-opened.

The ban is effective from July 9.

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