Fabio Paratici will take an “immediate leave of absence” from his role at Tottenham, pending the outcome of his appeal against a worldwide ban.
The club’s managing director had his 30-month ban from Italian football, for his role in alleged financial mispractice at Juventus, extended by FIFA earlier this week to apply worldwide.
It came just hours after he appeared in a video for Tottenham giving an update on the managerial situation after Antonio Conte’s departure, and he was set to play a leading role in making a permanent appointment this summer.
However, Paratici will now step back from his position at Spurs until the result of his appeal hearing, which is set to take place on April 19.
A Tottenham statemen read: “This week - 29 March 2023 - the FIFA Disciplinary Committee announced a decision to extend the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) sanctions, relating to Fabio Paratici, worldwide.
“This decision was taken in advance of Fabio Paratici’s Appeal hearing against the FIGC sanctions on 19 April 2023, the result of which would then have been considered by additional stakeholders, including the Club.
“Given FIFA’s unexpected ruling the sanctions may now have multi-jurisdictional effect, although they are still related to the FIGC Appeal.
“In view of FIFA’s decision, Fabio has agreed with the Club that he will take an immediate leave of absence pending the outcome of his Appeal.”
Paratici is one of 11 former Juventus executives under investigation, with all of those figures denying any wrongdoing. Their appeal against the sactions imposed by the Italian Football Federation will be heard by the Italian Olympic Committee.
It had been thought that FIFA would wait for the outcome of that appeal before intervening, with this week’s decision to extend the ban prior to the hearing not one that Tottenham were anticipating.
