A combination of Michel Platini (L) and Sepp Blatter (R)
The appeals against eight-year bans from football of former FIFA President, Sepp Blatter and UEFA boss, Michel Platini will be heard this week.
The duo were handed the punishments in December after a scandal surrounding a “disloyal payment” of CHF 2 million (£1.3 million/$2.1 million/€1.8 million).
It was alleged that Blatter, the outgoing FIFA President, agreed to pay the sum to UEFA chief Platini and that it was not in the interest of the world governing body.
Both denied wrongdoing and said the money was for work Platini carried out for FIFA between 1998 and 2002, when he worked as a technical adviser to Blatter.
However, the 60-year-old Frenchman didn’t receive his money until 2011 and question marks were raised over the time delay.
Platini, whose bid to replace Blatter as FIFA President was scuppered by the scandal, faces his hearing with FIFA’s Appeals Committee Monday, while the case of 79-year-old Swiss Blatter will then be heard on Tuesday.
Larry Mussenden, the President of the Bermuda Football Association, chairs the Appeals Committee which could quash, reduce or increase the bans of both men.
If the pair are unsuccessful in their attempts at acquittal through FIFA’s own avenues, they would likely take their cases to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Blatter was also fined CHF 50,000 (£33,700/$50,200/€46,200) and Platini CHF 80,000 (£53,900/$80,400/€74,000) at the time of their bans.
UEFA, the European governing body, have said they will hold off on electing a new President until Platini has exhausted his appeals options.
Insidethegame.biz reports that another twist has been added to the story with the Investigatory Chamber of the FIFA Ethics Committee appealing the eight-year bans as they feel they are too lenient.
The sanction was handed out by the Ethics Committee’s Adjudicatory Chamber, but the investigatory arm is seeking lifetime bans.
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Source:: PM Newspaper
