FIFA President Sepp Blatter, left, leaves in a vehicle at the FIFA Headquarters “Home of FIFA” in Zurich, Switzerland, Thursday, Dec. 17, 2015. The ban comes into force with immediate effect.
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“What astonishes me now, if I am going through the decision today, is they deny the existence of such an agreement”.
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Indeed, that winning mentality is part of the 44-year-old’s nature, and he is unlikely to let his standards slip over the next six months.
Fifa’s ethics committee said it had not found evidence that the payment, made at a time when Mr Blatter was seeking re-election, constituted a bribe, but that it lacked transparency, presented a conflict of interest and was “without a legal basis”.
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He stood by the legitimacy of a “gentleman’s agreement” with Platini established in 1998 – rejected by the adjudicatory chamber – and outlined his intentions to take an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, while questioning the validity of the punishments under Swiss law.
Platini broke rules on conflict of interest and loyalty.
Blatter, appearing wearing a plaster on his face following the removal of a mole, vowed to fight the sanctions and claimed: “I’ll be back”.
Platini boycotted the hearing here in protest.
Platini, who had hoped to replace Blatter in February as the new president of Federation Internationale de Football Association, is also expected to appeal.
“I will always repeat that”. A statement from the European governing body said: “Naturally, Uefa is extremely disappointed with this decision, which nevertheless is subject to appeal”.
“He’ll fight, I’m sure of that”.
Both have denied any wrongdoing repeatedly and claimed the payment was honouring an agreement made in 1998 for work carried out between 1998 and 2002 when Platini worked as a technical adviser for Blatter.
Blatter, who revealed that he found out about his ban only after the news was broken by the media, added: “I repeat, I regret that I am this punching ball”.
“On the football field and in the exercise of my mandates, my behaviour has always been irreproachable and I am, for my part, at peace with my conscience”. Swiss authorities also launched a criminal mismanagement probe into Blatter in relation to a 2005 TV deal signed with former CONCACAF president Jack Warner.
The committee’s statement on Platini went on to add: “Mr Platini failed to act with complete credibility and integrity, showing unawareness of the importance of his duties and concomitant obligations and responsibilities”.
“This committee has no right to go against the president”, he said, even though FIFA’s Ethics Code makes no exemption for its leader.
“That is healthy for the game and if he is prepared to do that across the world, I’m sure he will be well-received”.
Blatter, 79, had already announced he would step down from his position in world football’s governing body and confirmed he will appeal his suspension.
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Fifa was thrown into crisis in May when nine senior football officials were indicted in the U.S. on charges including money laundering and racketeering.
