FIFA bans bid inspector Mayne-Nicholls for seven years

ZURICH (Reuters) - FIFA's ethics committee has banned Harold Mayne-Nicholls, who led the teams which inspected the bids to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, for seven years, it said in a statement on Monday. FIFA, world football's governing body, said Mayne-Nicholls, formerly head of the Chilean Football Federation, would not be able to take part in "any kind of football-related activity at national and international level" during that period. FIFA, which is under investigation by U.S. and Swiss authorities for alleged corruption, including in connection with the awarding of World Cup hosting rights, did not give any details of why Mayne-Nicholls had been suspended. Russia was awarded the right to host the 2018 World Cup and Qatar the 2022 tournament in the same vote in December 2010. Mayne-Nicholls compiled a technical report after leading visits to all the countries bidding to host the two tournaments: England, Spain/Portugal, Netherlands/Belgium and Russia for 2018, and United States, Australia, Qatar, South Korea and Japan for 2022. His report raised concerns about Qatar due to the searing heat and questioned the logistical issues raised by hosting the tournament in one city. (Reporting by Katharina Bart; writing by Brian Homewood; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)