Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini have had their bans from all football-related activities reduced from eight years to six years, world governing body, FIFA has announced.
The pair had hoped to have their bans lifted entirely but the FIFA Appeal Committee dismissed their appeal on all bar one count.
An appeal by the governing body’s investigatory chamber to extend the bans for life was also dismissed.
Both men were suspended in December over a £1.3 million “disloyal” payment made by Fifa to Platini in 2011.
However the Appeal Committee noted the contribution both had made to the game when deciding to remove two years from their bans.
A statement from FIFA confirmed: “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 years as from 8 October 2015. 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 years as from 8 October 2015.”
Blatter’s FIFA presidency is set to come to an end on Friday when his successor to the role is elected at an extraordinary Congress.
The appeal committee is chaired by Bermuda’s Larry Mussenden, who is currently seeking the CONCACAF presidency.
