FIFA reveals bid inspector banned for seeking favors

ZURICH --

The FIFA ethics committee has explained why the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bid inspector was banned from soccer, six months after imposing a seven-year sanction.

FIFA ethics judges say in a statement that Harold Mayne-Nicholls of Chile ''repeatedly asked for personal favors related to the hosting and training of his relatives (a son, nephew and brother-in-law).''

The bidder and institution were not identified, though it was previously reported Mayne-Nicholls approached the Aspire center in Doha. The youth academy was linked to Qatar's successful 2022 World Cup hosting bid.

The ethics judging chamber say Mayne-Nicholls broke several articles of FIFA's ethics code, including offering or accepting gifts and conflicts of interest.

By giving Mayne-Nicholls written reasons for the verdict, he can now take his case to the FIFA appeals committee.