Football: Banned Valcke sets up business in Spain

LAUSANNE: Former FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke, who is banned from football and the target of a Swiss criminal investigation, has resurfaced in Spain and set up an events management business, sources say.

The Frenchman was banned last year for 12 years -- reduced to 10 -- for ethics breaches and fired by FIFA as part of a corruption scandal that threatened to bring football's governing body to its knees.

The 56-year-old founded at the beginning of this year in the Barcelona area the company OMV Frontline, specialising in organising and managing sporting, artistic and fashion events, a source told AFP.

Valcke's wife Ornella Stocchi is named the firm's "administrator" in company records.

Valcke did not respond to requests for comment from AFP.

Another source said that he has resettled in Barcelona, where he has retained many contacts, including Sandro Rosell, former president of Barcelona football club.

In February this year Valcke appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against his ban.

Once former FIFA president Sepp Blatter's right-hand man, he was sacked by FIFA over black market World Cup ticket sales and suspect television deals.

He is also the subject of a Swiss police investigation opened last year into FIFA's affairs under Blatter.

Valcke has repeatedly denied wrongdoing.