In a verdict that heightened the crisis in football’s scandal-plagued world body, the court strongly criticised the FIFA president and vice president, saying there was “no legal basis” for the payment that Blatter authorised for Platini in 2011.
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Platini said he remained determined to continue his quest to become the most powerful man in football.
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The restaurant chain’s reputation had already suffered in recent weeks after 46 of 53 people sickened during an earlier E. Arnold added that the company thinks the illnesses are connected to the larger, previously reported outbreak.
Dyke said Blatter’s departure was an important change, but that a “proper and effective” reform process was as crucial before another bid could be considered.
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However, the Frenchman admitted that time is not on his side.
“What is troubling is that I have no certainty about the timetable ahead”, he said.
Blatter had described the payment made to Platini as “a gentleman’s agreement”, insisting it was nothing untoward despite the lack of written documentation to support it.
“I’m struggling to understand”, Platini said.
“There was a debt that was settled, full stop!”
“Then it took off at Federation Internationale de Football Association and a lot of people at Federation Internationale de Football Association are happy that this issue happened. According to Swiss law, to suspend someone for eight years, you must have committed a murder or a bank robbery”.
The ban seems set to ruin Platini’s plan to contest the elections set for next February to find a successor for Blatter. “Was it sleeping? Suddenly it wakes up”, he scoffed.
In September, Blatter and Platini were suspended from their posts as part of the investigation into corruption allegations against them. Both of them deny any wrongdoing and plan to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
“I’ve been kicked in the teeth – I’ve been put in the same bag as Blatter”.
Platini has vowed to fight the eight-year ban in the world sports tribunal and even civil proceedings to claim damages over a decision that he has denounced as a “masquerade”.
Dyke had backed Platini to replace Blatter in the February elections and admitted his “disappointment” at developments.
“First of all, I was sad, but now I’m not sad”, Blatter said when asked for his reaction to the punishment.
He is not expected to be informed of the reasons for his ban until early January.
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Platini said “procedural sabotage” was now blocking his path to the election.
