FIFA likely to punish Chung Mong-joon: aide

LONDON, Oct. 6 (Yonhap) -- FIFA will likely mete out punishment on South Korean FIFA presidential candidate Chung Mong-joon for alleged vote trading in a World Cup bid, Chung's aide told reporters in London Tuesday.

Chung traveled to the U.K. city on Tuesday for a leadership conference scheduled the following day, while the FIFA Ethics Committee convened a hearing to discuss him. Chung is under scrutiny for writing to FIFA executive members in 2010 about creating the Global Football Fund, valued at US$777 million, as South Korea was bidding for either the 2018 or 2022 World Cups.

The aide said the hearing took place earlier Tuesday without Chung in attendance, and the committee is expected to announce its penalty as early as Wednesday.

In a press conference in Seoul, Tuesday, Chung had said FIFA was seeking a 15-year suspension for the proposal of the fund and another four years for his criticism of the Ethics Committee.

"Even if the committee may reduce the length of suspension, it is almost certain to hand out some sort of a sanction," the aide said, adding that once the penalty is issued, Chung will file an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the world's highest sports tribunal.

It wasn't immediately clearly if a CAS ruling would be made in time for Chung to formally register as a FIFA presidential candidate on Oct. 26. Chung will go up against UEFA President Michel Platini and Jordanian Prince Ali bin Al-Hussein if they all complete registration.

In his Seoul press conference, Chung charged that FIFA had deliberately launched a smear campaign against him to undermine his candidacy and accused the Ethics Committee of being a "hitman" for incumbent boss Sepp Blatter.

jeeho@yna.co.kr
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