New Delhi: Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter and suspended UEFA boss Michel Platini have had their bans from football reduced from eight to six years by the appeal committee on Wednesday.
In a statement released today, the world football body said that Blatter's and Platini's appeals are dismissed, but bans have been reduced from eight to six years.
"The FIFA Appeal Committee, chaired by Larry Mussenden (Bermuda), has partially confirmed the decisions taken by the adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee on 17 and 18 December 2015 regarding Joseph S. Blatter and Michel Platini respectively, whose bans have been reduced from eight to six years," the statement read.
They were banned in December after FIFA president Blatter authorized a payment of 2 million Swiss francs ($2 million) to UEFA president Platini in 2011.
"Mr Platini’s and Mr Blatter’s appeals are dismissed in respect of infringements of art. 13 (General rules of conduct), art. 15 (Loyalty), art. 19 (Conflict of interests) and art. 20 (Offering and accepting gifts and other benefits) of the FIFA Code of Ethics, as established by the adjudicatory chamber.
"The Appeal Committee concurred with the findings of the adjudicatory chamber of the Ethics Committee in the sense that the evidence available in the present case is not sufficient to establish a breach of article 21 of the FIFA Code of Ethics (Bribery and corruption). Consequently, the appeal lodged by the investigatory chamber for a life ban from all football-related activity was also dismissed," it added.
Blatter and Platini can still go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to appeal the bans.
Blatter's successor is being elected on Friday.
The appeal committee's head Mussenden is currently seeking the CONCACAF presidency.
