FIFA Ethics Committee Opens Formal Proceedings Against Blatter and Platini

By Christian Radnedge

FIFA’s ethics committee has opened formal proceedings against Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini, a statement confirmed on Monday.

Both men are serving 90-day suspensions for allegations of corruption, especially a “disloyal payment” made to Platini by Blatter in 2011 for £1.35m.

Outgoing FIFA president Blatter and UEFA’s Platini both deny any wrongdoing.

A statement from the independent ethics committee confirmed that a decision on the fate of the two men would be made in December.

The statement read: “The adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee chaired by Hans-Joachim Eckert has today opened formal adjudicatory proceedings against Joseph S. Blatter and Michel Platini based on the final reports submitted by the investigatory chamber.

“The adjudicatory chamber has studied the reports carefully and decided to institute formal proceedings against the two officials. For reasons linked to privacy rights and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty, the adjudicatory chamber will not publish details of the sanctions requested by the investigatory chamber in its final reports.

“In the course of the proceedings, both parties will be invited to submit positions including any evidence with regard to the final reports of the investigatory chamber (art. 70 par. 2 of the FIFA Code of Ethics) and they may request a hearing (art. 74 par. 2 of the FCE). The adjudicatory chamber intends to come to a decision in both cases during the month of December.”

Blatter and Platini could face seven-year bans from football if they are found guilty of the corruption claims.

This week, Blatter claimed in an interview that he had come close to death when he spent six days in hospital this month for a stress-related illness.

“I was between the angels who were singing and the devil who was lighting the fire, but it was the angels who sang,” said Blatter.

“I was close to dying. At some stage the body says ‘no, enough is enough’.”

The Swiss, 79, officially ends his tenure as FIFA president in February when his successor will be elected at an extraordinary elective congress in Zurich.

While he currently serves his ban, African football chief Issa Hayatou is acting president in his stead.

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