Blatter and Platini Lose Appeals Against 90-day Suspensions

FIFA president Sepp Blatter and UEFA president Michel Platini have lost their appeals against the 90-day suspensions that were handed to them by the FIFA Ethics Committee.

The pair were given the suspensions following a £1.3 million payment made by Blatter to Platini for work the Frenchman carried out for FIFA.

Both men appealed against the sanctions after denying any wrongdoing, but the appeals have now been rejected by the FIFA Appeal Committee.

Blatter and Platini are now expected to take their cases to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The decision puts Platini’s candidacy for FIFA president into further doubt as he must be cleared before the 26 February election in order to stand.  

Sepp Blatter’s lawyer released a statement on FIFA’s decision which said: “President Blatter is disappointed by today’s decision of the Appeal Committee regarding his provisional suspension. 

“However, as the opinion notes, the provisional suspension was an ex parte (one-sided) action taken on the sole request of the investigatory chamber. 

“Noticeably absent from the opinion and these proceedings is any evidence of any improper motivation or purpose for the agreement between FIFA and Mr. Platini.” 

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