FIFA president Sepp Blatter and UEFA boss Michel Platini have been banned from football for eight years, after Blatter was found guilty of making a “disloyal payment” to Platini of £1.3 million on August 25th, 1999.
Though the pair insisted that the payment was made under a verbal agreement, which would make it legal under Swiss law, the judge ruled that there was no legal ground for it to be made and that they would both therefore be suspended, with Blatter also receiving a fine of £33,700 and Platini a fine of £54,000.
After leaving the court, Blatter stated that he would appeal the verdict, saying: “I will fight for me and FIFA”. He also referenced the FIFA corruption scandal, saying that he had become “a punching ball for FIFA” since the incident. Blatter had also announced that he was retiring from his post at FIFA following the presidential election in February, while Platini has been in charge of the European football governing body UEFA since 2007.
Blatter said of the ruling: “I’m sorry for me for, how I’m tainted in this world of humanitarian qualities. Even suspended I am the President. I am not ashamed. I not regret. If you go in depth of how this is presented. You will there to condemn this FIFA President at the very beginning. He should know. I am not conscious of the people I can elect.
“I will always repeat that. I am a man of principles. These principles are never taking money you have never earned and pay your debts.”
While the pair were found guilty of breaching the FIFA Code of Ethics, they were cleared of bribery and corruption charges. While Blatter has stated that he will argue against the ruling to the FIFA Appeal Committee, Platini had refused to attend the hearing in protest, thus making it unclear what his actions will be in the wake of the charges leveled against him. FIFA is now set to assign a new president, as Platini was previously considered a favourite to take over Blatter’s job, though will now be unable to do so.
