UEFA President Michel Platini, appeared on Monday at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich to appeal against an eight-year ban from football.
Platini and outgoing FIFA President, Joseph Blatter, were banned in a ruling by the adjudicatory chamber of FIFA’s ethics committee on December 21, over ethics breaches concerning a “disloyal payment” of $2 million made to Platini in 2011.
Platini said as he arrived at FIFA headquarters that he was not there to fight for his future, rather he was there to fight against injustice.
“If I had anything to reproach myself, I would be in Siberia to hide in shame,” he said.
Former France playing star Platini, 60, has denied any wrongdoing and also intends to take his case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne.
The hearings come just over a week before FIFA was due to elect a new president in Zurich on February 26.
Platini had intended to run for the FIFA presidency, but withdrew his candidacy last month following the ban.
Blatter and Platini are ruled to have breached FIFA articles relating to offering and accepting gifts, a conflict of interest, loyalty and general rules of conduct.
The adjudicatory chamber of FIFA’s ethics committee said in its December ruling that Blatter and Platini “did not show commitment to an ethical attitude.”
It said both failed to respect all applicable laws and regulations as well as FIFA’s regulatory framework and demonstrated an abusive execution of their positions within FIFA.
The committee said in addition to his ban, Platini should pay $81,100 fine.
A FIFA official said on condition of anonymity that Blatter’s appeal against his eight-year ban is due to be held by the FIFA appeals committee on Tuesday.
He said it is thought the FIFA appeals committee could also make a ruling this week.
