For most of his 17 years at the helm of Fifa, Sepp Blatter travelled the world to be feted like a head of state, with VIP treatment for his private jet, police escorts to whisk his limousine to the best hotel in town, and gala banquets in his honour.

Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini are expected to have their respective eight-year suspensions from all football-related activity upheld this week as FIFA delegates prepare to gather in Zurich to elect a new leader.

FIFA’s ethics chiefs are to investigate claims of ’vote-buying’ in a bitter contest for one of the 23 seats on the world governing body’s all-powerful executive committee.