Fifa on Thursday suspended indefinitely Jér?me Valcke, right-hand man to outgoing president Sepp Blatter, after football’s governing body said it was “made aware of a series of allegations involving the secretary-general”.

Fifa said that secretary-general Mr Valcke had been “put on leave and released from his duties effective immediately until further notice. Further, Fifa has been made aware of a series of allegations involving the secretary-general and has requested a formal investigation by the Fifa ethics committee.” No further details were available.

Mr Valcke’s suspension — the highest profile among Fifa officials to date — comes as Fifa is trying to regroup from the arrest at its annual congress in May of nine current or former board members on corruption charges connected with an alleged bribery scandal.