Blatter and Platini Lose Appeals Against 90-day Suspensions

Suspended FIFA president Sepp Blatter and UEFA president Michel Platini have both lost their appeals against the 90-day suspensions that were handed to them by the FIFA Ethics Committee.

Both football power house personals were given the suspensions following a £1.3 million payment made by Blatter to Platini for work the Frenchman carried out for FIFA.

The pair appealed against the sanctions after denying any wrongdoing, but the appeals have now been rejected by the FIFA Appeal Committee.

Blatter and Platini are now expected to take their cases to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The decision puts Platini's candidacy for FIFA president into further doubt as he must be cleared before the 26 February election in order to stand.  

The decision by the FIFA Appeal Committee, which rejected the appeals "in full", was a further blow to Frenchman Platini's hopes of standing on Feb. 26. The electoral committee has said his registration will not be processed while he is suspended.

"Michel Platini has full confidence that the CAS will restore all his rights," said a statement issued by his spokesman. "Meanwhile, he remains a composed and determined candidate for the FIFA presidency.

"The decision comes as no surprise," the statement said. "It confirms that FIFA, through its internal bodies, is conducting a one-sided, unfair and biased investigation against Michel Platini, repeatedly violating his right to defend himself."
Sepp Blatter's lawyer released a statement on FIFA's decision which said: "President Blatter is disappointed by today's decision of the Appeal Committee regarding his provisional suspension. 

"However, as the opinion notes, the provisional suspension was an ex parte (one-sided) action taken on the sole request of the investigatory chamber. 

"Noticeably absent from the opinion and these proceedings is any evidence of any improper motivation or purpose for the agreement between FIFA and Mr. Platini." 

The decision by the FIFA Appeal Committee, which rejected the appeals "in full", was a further blow to Frenchman Platini's hopes of standing on Feb. 26. The electoral committee has said his registration will not be processed while he is suspended.