FIFA sacks Valcke

World football's governing body FIFA has dismissed secretary general Jerome Valcke.

The Frenchman, 55, was provisionally suspended from football for his alleged involvement in a scheme to profit from the sale of World Cup tickets.

He was released from his duties on 17 September after being accused of a series of FIFA ethics code breaches.

Appointed in 2007, the former right-hand man of FIFA president Sepp Blatter has denied any wrongdoing.

"The duties of the secretary general will continue to be assumed by the acting secretary general, Dr Markus Kattner," read a FIFA statement.

FIFA's ethics committee said on 7 January that it had decided to open "formal adjudicatory proceedings" against Valcke after studying a report submitted by its investigatory chamber.

Valcke has also been accused of being party to a potential £6.8m ($10m) bribe paid to Jack Warner, the former head of the North and Central America football governing body, CONCACAF