FIFA Appeal Committee lessen football bans of Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini to 6 years, instruct them to pay fine

The FIFA Appeal Committee today rejected the appeals of Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini to have their 8 year ban from football by the FIFA independent committee overturned. Instead they lessened their football ban from 8 years to 6 years and instructed both of them to pay CHF 50,000 and CHF 80,000 respectively within 30 days.

In December last year, the adjudicatory chamber of the FIFA Independent Ethics Committee banned former FIFA president Sepp Blatter and former UEFA President Michel Platini for 8 years after they were both found to illegally conduct financial transactions without official records, hence both men's decision to take their appeal to the FIFA Appeal Committee.

See the FIFA Appeal Committee's full press statement below...

''The FIFA Appeal Committee, chaired by Larry Mussenden (Bermuda), has partially confirmed the decisions taken by the adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee on 17 and 18 December 2015 regarding Joseph S. Blatter and Michel Platini respectively, whose bans have been reduced from eight to six years.''

Following the hearings of Mr Platini and Mr Blatter held in Zurich on 15 and 16 February 2016 respectively, the Appeal Committee has decided as follows: ''Mr Platini’s and Mr Blatter’s appeals are dismissed in respect of infringements of art. 13 (General rules of conduct), art. 15 (Loyalty), art. 19 (Conflict of interests) and art. 20 (Offering and accepting gifts and other benefits) of the FIFA Code of Ethics, as established by the adjudicatory chamber.''

"The Appeal Committee concurred with the findings of the adjudicatory chamber of the Ethics Committee in the sense that the evidence available in the present case is not sufficient to establish a breach of article 21 of the FIFA Code of Ethics (Bribery and corruption). Consequently, the appeal lodged by the investigatory chamber for a life ban from all football-related activity was also dismissed.''

"'While agreeing with the principles and arguments presented by the adjudicatory chamber in its calculation of the sanction, the Appeal Committee determined that some strong mitigating factors for Mr Platini and Mr Blatter were not taken into account when establishing the sanction. In this sense, amongst others, the Appeal Committee considered that Mr Platini’s and Mr Blatter’s activities and the services they had rendered to FIFA, UEFA and football in general over the years should deserve appropriate recognition as a mitigating factor.''

"'Thus, after carefully analysing and taking into consideration the exceptional mitigating circumstances of the cases, it was determined that a one-year reduction of the five-year ban for a breach of art. 20 of the FCE was proper, and similarly a one-year reduction of the three-year ban for the other breaches was also proper.'' In summary: ''Michel Platini is banned from taking part in any football-related activity (administrative, sports or other) at national and international level for a period of six (6) years as from 8 October 2015, in accordance with art. 6 par. 1h) of the FIFA Code of Ethics in conjunction with art. 22 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. Furthermore, Mr Platini shall pay a fine in the amount of CHF 80,000 within 30 days of notification of the present decision.'' ''Joseph S. Blatter is banned from taking part in any football-related activity (administrative, sports or other) at national and international level for a period of six (6) years as from 8 October 2015, in accordance with art. 6 par. 1h) of the FIFA Code of Ethics in conjunction with art. 22 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. Mr Blatter shall pay a fine in the amount of CHF 50,000 within 30 days of notification of the present decision.''