Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini banned from football-related activities for eight years
Fifa president Sepp Blatter and Uefa boss Michel Platini have been banned from all football-related activities for a period of eight years.
Fifa president Sepp Blatter and Uefa counterpart Michel Platini have been banned for eight years from all football-related activity following an ethics investigation.
The bans come into force immediately and effectively end Blatter's time in football governance.
Blatter, 79, immediately pledged to fight his ban, at a press conference shortly after Fifa's announcement.
Michel Platini (left) and Sepp Blatter (right) have been banned from all football-related activities for eight years.
He has been in charge of Fifa since 1998 and was already due to stand down ahead of February's presidential election, following ongoing investigations of corruption and racketeering at the heart of world football's governing body.
Fifa released a statement on Monday confirming that Blatter and Platini were handed the bans following an independent ethics investigation chaired by German judge Hans-Joachim Eckert.
Fifa president Sepp Blatter plans to appeal his ban to Fifa, the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and in Swiss courts.
WHAT NEXT FOR BLATTER AND PLATINI?
With Blatter due to stand down from the presidency in February regardless, it seems the Swiss man's position as a world football delegate has finally come to an end.
Platini has already shown his opposition to the investigation after boycotting a hearing in Zurich on Friday, claiming he felt that a decision had already been made.
Fifa president Sepp Blatter arrives for a news conference in Zurich after the ban was announced.
The Frenchman is reportedly preparing to take the ruling to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Blatter and his one-time protege Platini have been kicked out of the sport for a conflict of interest relating to a US$2 million (NZ$2.96m) "disloyal payment" deal that is also the subject of a criminal investigation in Switzerland.
Disgraced former Fifa president Sepp Blatter arrives at the organisation's headquarters in Zurich last week.
Blatter's Fifa career is ending in disgrace after more than 17 years as president and 40 years in total with the scandal-hit governing body.
Platini's bid to succeed his former mentor in the February 26 election is now likely over, though both are expected to appeal at the Fifa appeals committee and the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Blatter has suggested he could pursue a lengthier appeal to Switzerland's highest court, the federal tribunal, which can intervene if legal process was abused.
Ethics judges ruled that Blatter broke Fifa Code of Ethics rules on conflicts of interest, breach of loyalty and offering or receiving gifts.
Both denied wrongdoing in 2011 when Platini took US$2 million of Fifa money approved by Blatter as uncontracted salary for work as a presidential adviser from 1999-2002.
Blatter was fined 50,000 Swiss francs (NZ$75,000) and Platini, a Fifa vice-president of head of European soccer's governing body, was fined 80,000 Swiss francs (NZ$120,000).
"Neither in his written statement nor in his personal hearing was Mr. Blatter able to demonstrate another legal basis for this payment," the judges said. "By failing to place Fifa's interests first and abstain from doing anything which could be contrary to Fifa's interests, Mr. Blatter violated his fiduciary duty to Fifa.
"His [Blatter's] assertion of an oral agreement was determined as not convincing and was rejected by the chamber."
Platini, the judges said, "failed to act with complete credibility and integrity, showing unawareness of the importance of his duties and concomitant obligations and responsibilities."
With Blatter due to stand down from the presidency in February regardless, it seems the Swiss man's position as a world football delegate has finally come to an end.
Platini has already shown his opposition to the investigation after boycotting a hearing in Zurich on Friday, claiming he felt that a decision had already been made.
Fifa president Sepp Blatter arrives for a news conference in Zurich after the ban was announced.
The Frenchman is reportedly preparing to take the ruling to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Blatter and his one-time protege Platini have been kicked out of the sport for a conflict of interest relating to a US$2 million (NZ$2.96m) "disloyal payment" deal that is also the subject of a criminal investigation in Switzerland.
Disgraced former Fifa president Sepp Blatter arrives at the organisation's headquarters in Zurich last week.
Blatter's Fifa career is ending in disgrace after more than 17 years as president and 40 years in total with the scandal-hit governing body.
Platini's bid to succeed his former mentor in the February 26 election is now likely over, though both are expected to appeal at the Fifa appeals committee and the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Blatter has suggested he could pursue a lengthier appeal to Switzerland's highest court, the federal tribunal, which can intervene if legal process was abused.
Ethics judges ruled that Blatter broke Fifa Code of Ethics rules on conflicts of interest, breach of loyalty and offering or receiving gifts.
Both denied wrongdoing in 2011 when Platini took US$2 million of Fifa money approved by Blatter as uncontracted salary for work as a presidential adviser from 1999-2002.
Blatter was fined 50,000 Swiss francs (NZ$75,000) and Platini, a Fifa vice-president of head of European soccer's governing body, was fined 80,000 Swiss francs (NZ$120,000).
"Neither in his written statement nor in his personal hearing was Mr. Blatter able to demonstrate another legal basis for this payment," the judges said. "By failing to place Fifa's interests first and abstain from doing anything which could be contrary to Fifa's interests, Mr. Blatter violated his fiduciary duty to Fifa.
"His [Blatter's] assertion of an oral agreement was determined as not convincing and was rejected by the chamber."
Platini, the judges said, "failed to act with complete credibility and integrity, showing unawareness of the importance of his duties and concomitant obligations and responsibilities."
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