MIRROR
Fabio Paratici has stepped down from his role as Tottenham’s managing director, pending the outcome of his appeal against a worldwide ban.
The Spurs chief was given a 30-month ban from Italian football in January after his former club, Juventus, were found guilty of false accounting. Paratici and Juventus both appealed against FIFA’s ruling.
That was before after FIFA this week extended his suspension “to have worldwide effect” and prompted Tottenham to seek ‘urgent further clarification’ from football’s global governing body, only adding to the chaos in North London following the departure of manager Antonio Conte.
“FIFA can confirm that following a request by the Italian FA (FIGC), the chairperson of Fifa disciplinary committee has decided to extend the sanctions imposed by FIGC on several football officials to have worldwide effect,” a statement read.
As first reported by The Athletic, Paratici met Tottenham’s first-team squad on Friday to explain his decision. He’d told the club’s website prior to his ban being extended that he and the club were “focused” on moving forward together and finding a replacement for Conte, who left via mutual consent last Sunday.
Spurs said in their own statement: “This committee deliberation has been taken with no advance notice to any of the parties involved. We are urgently seeking further clarification from FIFA as to the details of the extension and its variance from the FIGC sanction.”
The club added they were only informed of the decision on Wednesday afternoon, saying: “We should like to make clear that when Fabio conducted the interview on club channels yesterday neither he nor the club had any indication of this decision being made by FIFA, based on the fact the the FIGC sanction was taken on 20 January 2023 and remains subject to an appeal on 19 April 2023.”
The Premier League club also explained that the decision had been taken “with no advance notice to any of the parties involved.”
