FIGC President Carlo Tavecchio is “ineligible for any position as a FIFA official for a period of six months” announced, today, the international governing body of football following a racist comment made by the Italian FA chief in July.

At the Italian amateur league summer summit, of which Tavecchio was president at the time, while addressing the subject of lack of opportunities for young Italian players at professional clubs, the 71-year-old said: “In England, they identify the players coming in and, if they are professional, they are allowed to play.

“Here instead we get ‘Opti Poba’, who previously ate bananas and then suddenly becomes a first-team player with Lazio.”

The comments caused an outcry in Italy and across the world.

In a statement in July, CONCACAF President and FIFA Anti-discrimination Task Force Chairman Jeffrey Webb said: “The football community is appalled by the recent racist comments made by Mr. Carlo Tavecchio,”

“As guiding voices within our communities, we strongly urge all football officials to speak and act in a responsible manner, adhering to the principle of respect that every human merits.”

Tavecchio's worldwide ban follows similar sanction imposed by UEFA last month, in which the FIGC President was barred from holding any position as a UEFA official for an equal period of time, starting on 7 October, barring him from participating in the next UEFA Congress in March 2015.

Europe’s football governing body also ruled that the 71-year-old will have to organise an event in Italy aimed at increasing awareness of discrimination and in compliance with the principles of the UEFA Resolution entitled European Football United Against Racism.