FIFA Ethics Committee to Appeal Bans of Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini

A spokesman of the FIFA ethics committee investigative arm has revealed that the chamber intends to appeal the eight-year suspensions from sports activities that had been imposed on former FIFA president Sepp Blatter and and UEFA boss Michel Platini. The investigatory chamber confirmed it disagreed with the adjudicatory chamber’s ruling and shared it intentions to appeal.

In December 2015, both Blatter and Platini were banned for a period of eight years for violations of power and ethics, being accused of taking part in an unauthorized $2-million payment made by FIFA to Platini in 2011 with Blatter’s approval. Apart from the bans, both chiefs were also imposed fines of $50,250 for Blatter and $80,400 for Platini.

Now the ethics committee of International Federation of Association Football has decided to appeal the bans of both Blatter and Platini imposed over a conflict of interest in the afore-mentioned payment deal, which has become a subject of a criminal investigation on the territory of Switzerland.

According to the ethics judges, there has been a violation of FIFA Code of Ethics due to conflicts of interest. In addition, Sepp Blatter has been found guilt on breach of loyalty and offering or receiving gifts.

Lifetime suspensions for both former FIFA boss and UEFA chief had been requested by the investigatory arm of the international football association, but the bans imposed by the adjudicatory chamber are for a period of eight years only. According to the investigatory chamber, the punishments are too lenient, which is exactly the reason why it is to now appeal the bans.

The suspension imposed on Michel Platini prevented him from replacing Sepp Blatter in the presidential elections of FIFA, which are scheduled for February 26th, as he would not be eligible for the elections. This is why Platini has recently announced that he made a decision to withdraw himself from the race.

Of course, both Blatter and Platini denied any wrongdoing and revealed their intentions to appeal the bans to the FIFA appeals committee after the ethics committee provided them with the full written reasons for their suspensions.

If their punishments are truly appealed by the ethics commission, both chiefs could face even longer bans, especially considering the fact that a lifetime ban had been initially sought by investigators. Both the appeals from Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini and the one of the international football association’s investigatory chamber will be heard by FIFA’s appeal committee. Then, the case can be transferred to the court of arbitration for sport.