Valcke, dismissed from his position at world football's governing body last month, was under investigation for allegedly selling World Cup tickets for five times above their face value.

He has been fined CHF100,000 (£71,000/$102,000/€91,000).

The Frenchman was found to be in breach of several ethics regulations, including offering and accepting gifts and other benefits, conflicts of interest and confidentiality.

The 55-year-old attempted to grant the television and marketing rights in the Caribbean for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, due to be held in Russia and Qatar respectively, to a third party for well below their value.

He had "taken concrete preparatory action in this regard", according to a FIFA statement.

Valcke, a close ally of banned FIFA President Sepp Blatter, also "deliberately tried to obstruct the ongoing proceedings against him by attempting to delete or deleting several files and folders relevant to the investigation".

The Adjudicatory Chamber revealed that JB Sports Marketing, a company involved in working on the World Cup since 1990 reportedly worked, had "gained an undue advantage from the selling of FIFA World Cup tickets" and failed to stop these activities.

FIFA have found that he actively encouraged them, placing him at the centre of the controversy, and "repeatedly" told them to breach an agreement between the governing body and the sports marketing firm.

As well as the ticketing and television rights scandal, Valcke, who had reportedly been weighing up an audacious bid for the top job at FIFA after Blatter stepped down last year, also abused his expenses by travelling "purely for sightseeing reasons".

FIFA claim this caused them hefty financial damage and they have also questioned his ability to do his job as secretary general properly, a role he held for nearly eight years.

The former number two within the scandal-hit organisation had always strenuously denied the allegations and his suspension marks another dark day for FIFA, which remains embroiled in the worst crisis in its history.

A total of 41 officials and entities were indicted by the United States Department of Justice on various corruption charges last year.

The Investigatory Chamber of the Ethics Committee had suggested he be banned for eight years but their Adjudicatory Chamber counterparts have opted to hand him a lengthier suspension from the sport, indicating the severity of the offences committed.

Valcke, who was tasked with the day-to-day running of world football's world governing body, was suspended in September.

Blatter and UEFA President Michel Platini have also been punished by the Adjudicatory Chamber after the pair were banned in December for eight years.