FIFA Bans Blatter, Platini From Football for 8 Years

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – FIFA’s Independent Ethics Committee Adjudicatory Chamber has banned FIFA President Joseph Blatter and UEFA President and FIFA Vice President Michel Platini from any football-related activities for a period of eight years, FIFA said in a press release.

“The adjudicatory chamber of the Ethics Committee chaired by Mr Hans Joachim Eckert has banned Mr Joseph S. Blatter, President of FIFA, for eight years and Mr Michel Platini, Vice-President and member of the Executive Committee of FIFA and President of UEFA, for eight years from all football-related activities (administrative, sports or any other) on a national and international level. The bans come into force immediately,” the press release reads.

The proceedings against Blatter and Platini are related to a transfer of $2.05 million from FIFA to Platini in 2011 for work allegedly performed during the period 1999-2002. According to Platini, FIFA paid the disputed money for his work on the global competition calendar, a FIFA Goal program supporting global football federation and for accompanying Blatter in his travels without a written contract.

However, the chamber ruled that assertion of an oral agreement between the officials was "not convincing" while their conduct constituted a breach of several articles of the FIFA Code of Ethics (Offering and accepting gifts and other benefits; Conflicts of interest; Loyalty; General rules of conduct).