FIFA’s Ethics Committee has banned Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini for eight years from all soccer-related activities in verdicts announced on Monday.
Platini’s bid to succeed Blatter as FIFA president in a February 26 election is now likely over.
Ethics judges ruled that Blatter broke FIFA Code of Ethics rules on conflicts of interest, breach of loyalty and offering gifts.
Platini broke rules on conflict of interest and loyalty.
Both denied wrongdoing in 2011 when Platini took $2 million ($A2.79 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 ($A70,085) and Platini was fined 80,000 francs ($A112,145).
“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.
“Mr. Platini failed to act with complete credibility and integrity, showing unawareness of the importance of his duties and concomitant obligations and responsibilities,” the judges said.
Blatter and Platini previously said they would challenge any sanctions, at the FIFA appeals committee then the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
World football’s most powerful leaders both plan to appeal the eight-year bans they were slapped with on Monday following an ethics investigation by Fifa.
Both men said they would appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
UEFA president Michel Platini issued a statement saying he was “at peace with my conscience”.
Platini said in a statement that he was “at peace with my conscience”.
Blatter, on the other hand, held a lengthy press conference, where he lashed out at the process that had been followed, announcing his appeal plans.
Blatter told a press conference he would appeal his eight-year ban.
“I will fight for me and I will fight for FIFA. Suspended for eight years for what?” Blatter told journalists.
Along with appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, he planned to take a case to Fifa’s appeal body, and was considering court action in Switzerland.
The investigation into the pair centred on a US$2 million (NZ$2.96 million) payment from Fifa to Platini in 2011, as uncontracted salary for work as a presidential adviser from 1999-2002. The payment was approbed by Blatter.
At a long press conference in Zurich, Switzerland, Blatter insisted that he still views himself as Fifa president despite the ban, even though he is prohibited from going into the building.
“I’m sorry as president of Fifa, I’m this punching ball,” he said.
“Something is wrong in this system. Something is wrong. And that’s why I have to fight.”
