Sepp Blatter still being paid by Fifa despite serving eight-year ban from football

Disgraced former Fifa president Sepp Blatter may have been banned from all football-related activity over a secret payment made to Michel Platini, but he is still being paid his full salary by the world governing body.

Blatter was given the ban along with Platini after Fifa’s ethics committee took action against the pair for a £1.3m payment made from the Swiss to the Frenchman back in 2011 for work carried out between 1998 and 2002, although both deny any wrongdoing.

But despite Blatter’s eight-year ban and previous 90-day suspension, it has emerged that the 79-year-old has continued to receive his Fifa president salary, and will do so until his successor is appointed on 26 February an extraordinary Fifa congress.

Andreas Bantel, spokesman for Fifa’s audit and compliance committee, told Reuters: "Until the election of a new president on 26 February, Mr Blatter is the elected president and therefore - according to his contract - is entitled to receive his remuneration.”

According to Sporting Intelligence, Blatter receives in the region of $6m [£4.2m] each year, meaning that he could have received up to $1.7m [£1.19m] since he was suspended on 8 October, and by the time his 18 years as president comes to an end next month, his wages could reach $2.3m [£1.6m] for the period that he has been suspended and banned for.

Another factor that makes Blatter’s payment even more bizarre is that the governing body has appointed an acting president in Issa Hayatou, meaning that they are currently paying two men for the same job.

However, Blatter’s bonus payments have been stopped given that the Swiss is no longer carrying out his duties of supervising Fifa, which includes the firing of former general secretary Jerome Valcke after an internal investigation. No reason was given for Valcke’s sudden departure, although it came after allegations of World Cup ticket sale corruption were made against the 55-year-old Frenchman.

"The duty of supervision is listed explicitly in the target agreements for the payment of bonuses. The compensation committee has therefore decided, at its last meeting, not to make any further bonus payments to Mr Blatter," added Bantel.

However, as part of the Fifa reforms suggested ahead of February’s extraordinary congress, compensation fees for presidents and top executives could be disclosed in the future, with Fifa members set to vote on the matter.

Both Blatter and Platini have confirmed thei intention to appeal against their eight-year bans from football.