FIFA hears Blatter appeal against eight-year ban

ZURICH (Reuters) - Banned FIFA president Sepp Blatter was at the headquarters of football's governing body on Tuesday for a hearing to appeal against his eight-year suspension from the sport.

FIFA hears Blatter appeal against eight-year ban

(Reuters)





Blatter, 79, was banned in December along with European football boss Michel Platini over a payment of 2 million Swiss francs ($2 million) made to the Frenchman in 2011 by FIFA with Blatter's approval for work done a decade earlier.

FIFA's ethics committee, which imposed the bans on Blatter and Platini, said the payment, made at a time when the former was seeking re-election, lacked transparency and presented conflicts of interest. Both men denied wrongdoing.

The case is now being heard by FIFA's Appeal Committee.

Sources close to FIFA said that Blatter had arrived 7.30 am local time, evading cameramen and photographers who had expected him to arrive later.

Blatter's adviser Thomas Renggli told Reuters he expected to get the verdict later this week.

Football's world ruling body is engulfed by a graft scandal that has led to the indictment of several dozen leading football officials in the United States. Platini's appeal was heard on Monday.





(Reporting by Brian Homewood; Editing by Andrew Heavens)


Share

1 min read

Published

Updated

Source: Reuters



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world