FIFA reduces ban on former Thai football chief

Lausanne (AFP) – A five-year ban issued to ex-Thai football chief Worawi Makudi for “forgery and falsification” was cut by 18 months on appeal Wednesday, FIFA said.

Worawi was suspended from all football-related activities in October 2016 following his conviction of forgery in a Thai court and for failing to cooperate with a FIFA investigation.

Worawi was a FIFA executive committee member for 18 years until May 2015 — including for its 2010 vote for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

After his conviction, a millionaire former Thai police chief won the election to head up Thai football.

Worawi was found guilty by a Thai court in 2015 of forging documents during a re-election campaign as head of the Football Association of Thailand, although the country’s Appeals Court overturned the conviction last year.

He must also pay a fine of 10,000 Swiss francs (9,200 euros) that was part of the original FIFA sanction.