Soccer

Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini to appeal again after reductions

Duo have had their bans for a ‘disloyal payment’ reduced from eight to six years

Fifa’s appeal committee has upheld bans on longtime President Sepp Blatter and European soccer head Michel Platini for ethics violations but reduced them to six years from eight. Photograph: Reuters
Fifa’s appeal committee has upheld bans on longtime President Sepp Blatter and European soccer head Michel Platini for ethics violations but reduced them to six years from eight. Photograph: Reuters
Wed Feb 24 2016 - 18:14

Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini have had their bans from all football-related activity reduced from eight years to six years, world governing body Fifa has announced.

Former Fifa president Blatter and Uefa chief Platini had their appeal hearings last week after being punished in December over a £1.3million “disloyal payment” made to the Frenchman.

A Fifa statement read: "The Fifa appeal committee, chaired by Larry Mussenden (Bermuda), has partially confirmed the decisions taken by the adjudicatory chamber of the independent ethics committee on 17th and 18th December 2015 regarding Joseph S Blatter and Michel Platini respectively, whose bans have been reduced from eight to six years."

Blatter intends to take his case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and Platini is expected to follow.

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Blatter said in a statement through his spokesman: “I am very disappointed by the appeal committee of Fifa and I will take it to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne.”

Meanwhile Prince Ali bin al Hussein has lost his bid to have transparent voting booths used in Friday’s Fifa presidential election, which the Court of Arbitration for Sport has ruled should proceed as scheduled.

A CAS statement read: “The request for provisional measures has been rejected by the President of the CAS Appeals Arbitration Division.

“In an urgent request for provisional measures, HRH Prince Ali Al Hussein sought an order that Fifa be directed to use transparent voting booths, as well as independent scrutineers, in order to safeguard the integrity of the voting process and to ensure that the vote is conducted in secret.

“In addition, HRH Prince Ali Al Hussein also asked for the Fifa Presidential Election to be postponed in the event the CAS could not rule on the request for provisional measures before the election, but this request is now moot.”

Prince Ali said in a statement: “I have done all I can. I regret that the system let us down.

“The only positive aspect of today’s ruling is it that the election will now go forward as planned, and the media will be closely watching for any evidence that anyone is photographing their ballot.”