LONDON — FIFA stepped up investigations into alleged bribery by Mohamed bin Hammam on Thursday by banning the former presidential candidate from soccer for 90 days.

FIFA said its new independent prosecutor Michael Garcia wanted bin Hammam suspended while he examines an audit detailing alleged financial mismanagement of Asian Football Confederation accounts and billion-dollar commercial contracts during the Qatari official's leadership.

"The decision was taken . . . in order to prevent interference with the establishment of the truth in respect of a preliminary investigation," FIFA said in a statement.

Garcia also is searching for new evidence that bin Hammam bribed Caribbean voters during his challenge to Sepp Blatter last year, FIFA said.