FIFA bans Chung Mong-Joon for six years

Football's world governing body said Thursday it has banned South Korean FIFA presidential hopeful Chung Mong joon for six years, a move that could cast a pall on his campaign.

    "The former FIFA Vice-President Chung Mong-joon has been banned for six years and fined" 100,000 Swiss francs (US$103,000), FIFA said in an announcement on its website.

    It also said Chung is "banned from all football activities on a national and international level."

    Chung is under scrutiny for writing to FIFA executive members in 2010 about creating the Global Football Fund, valued at $777 million, as South Korea was bidding for either the 2018 or 2022

 World Cups.

    Chung, who served as a FIFA vice president from 1994 to 2011, could not be immediately reached for comment. His aide has said Chung would file an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport once the penalty is issued.

    Still, it remains unclear if the world's highest sports tribunal could issue a ruling before FIFA presidential candidates

 are to formerly register on Oct. 26.

    Chung, a billionaire scion of the South Korean conglomerate Hyundai Group, is running against UEFA President Michel Platini and Jordanian Prince Ali bin al-Hussein for the Feb. 26 election.

    Candidates are required to have nominations from five national federations by Oct. 26.

    Chung claimed in a news conference in Seoul on Tuesday 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.

    Chung called Blatter "a hypocrite and a liar" as he vowed to seek embezzlement charges against him. (Yonhap)