FIFA rejects Blatter and Platini appeals

FIFA’s Appeal Committee has rejected the appeals lodged by Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini against the 90-day suspensions imposed by the Ethics Committee.

President Blatter and vice-president Platini were handed the provisional bans in early October over a “disloyal payment” made to the Frenchman in 2011.

Both deny any wrongdoing and appealed their cases with world football’s governing body, but have been unsuccessful in overturning the sanctions.

A FIFA statement read: “The FIFA Appeal Committee has today rejected in full the appeals lodged by Joseph S. Blatter and Michel Platini and confirmed in their entirety the respective decisions concerning provisional measures taken by the adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee.

“The decisions taken by the FIFA Appeal Committee are as follows:

“Joseph S. Blatter: the FIFA Appeal Committee rejected the appeal in full and confirmed in its entirety the decision concerning provisional measures taken ex parte by the adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee on 7 October 2015.

“However, for the sake of clarity, the procedure of the adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee regarding the provisional measures is still ongoing, meaning that the adjudicatory chamber may still confirm, revoke or amend the provisional decision as stated in art. 84 par. 2 of the FIFA Code of Ethics.

“Michel Platini: the FIFA Appeal Committee rejected the appeal in full and confirmed in its entirety the decision confirming the provisional measures taken by the adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee on 20 October 2015. The decision of the adjudicatory chamber had been passed following the initial decision taken ex parte on 7 October 2015 and after having heard the party in this regard.

“According to article 67 of the FIFA Statutes, the decisions may be appealed before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.”

The sanctions can be extended by up to 45 days, which would effectively end the outgoing Blatter’s reign over world football, with the FIFA congress where a replacement will be chosen scheduled for February 26 next year.

Blatter, 79, left hospital on Thursday after what was described as a “small emotional breakdown”.