By Andrew Warshaw
January 12 – Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini, fighting to clear their names, could end up being banned foreven longer than eight years.
FIFA investigators, who originally called for lifetime bans against the FIFA president and his would-successor, have confirmed heightened speculation in recent weeks that they would be launching a counter-appeal against what they believe is too lenient a sentence imposed on football’s two biggest powerbrokers.
The bans were handed down over a SFr2 million payment made to UEFA president Platini and signed off by Blatter in 2011 which they said was to settle a verbal agreement made several years beforehand.
FIFA’s ethics investigatory chamber believes the ban – imposed by the adjudicatory side of the independent body – did not go far enough and a spokesman said: “I can confirm that we intend to appeal.”
FIFA’s appeal committee will first rule on the appeals from Blatter, Platini and the investigatory chamber. Then the case can then go if necessary to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The immediate upshot is that not enough time will elapse for Blatter to be present to hand over to his successor on Februay 26. Platini’s future as UEFA president must also be in grave danger as he tries to resume power ahead of a scheduled early-May UEFA congress. The various appeals panels must now decide whether the Frenchman was unfairly treated, whether his eight-year ban should stand or whether, in fact, he should be thrown out for even longer.
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