Fifa ban Blatter and Platini from all football related activities for eight years over corruption

FIFA president Sepp Blatter and the head of Europe's footballing governing body Uefa Michel Platini have both been banned from football for eight years after they were found guilty of corrupt practices.

 

Both men were under investigation for receiving payments to influence the hosting of football tournaments and had been under suspension while their cases were investigated. This morning, Fifa's adjudicatory chamber of its ethics committee chaired by Hans‑Joachim Eckert, found both men guilty and banned them.

 

Mr Platini, who is also a Fifa vice president, will now not be eligible to run for the presidency next year as both bans come into force immediately. The proceedings against Mr Blatter primarily related to a payment of CHF 2,000,000 transferred in February 2011 from Fifa to Mr Platini.

 

In his position as Fifa president, Mr Blatter authorised the payment to Mr Platini which had no legal basis in the written agreement signed between both officials on August 25 1999. Neither in his written statement nor in his personal hearing was Mr Blatter able to demonstrate another legal basis for this payment.

 

His assertion of an oral agreement was determined as not convincing and was rejected by the chamber. According to Fifa, the evidence available to the adjudicatory chamber in the present case was not sufficient to establish, to the extent required, that Mr Blatter sought the execution or omission of an official act from Mr Platini within the meaning of article 21 paragraph 1 of the FIFA Code of Ethics (FCE) relating to bribery and corruption.

 

According to Fifa, the conduct of Mr Blatter towards Mr Platini without a legal basis constituted a breach of article 20 paragraph 1 of the FCE, offering and accepting gifts and other benefits. Furthermore, Mr Blatter found himself in a situation of conflict of interest, despite which he continued to perform his related duties, failing to disclose said situation and the existence of personal interests linked to his prospective activities, thus violating article 19 paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of the FCE ob conflicts of interest.

 

It was found that by failing to place Fifa’s interests first and abstain from doing anything which could be contrary to its interests, Mr Blatter violated his fiduciary duty and breached article 15 of the FCE relating to loyalty. Mr Blatter’s actions did not show commitment to an ethical attitude, failing to respect all applicable laws and regulations as well as Fifa’s regulatory framework to the extent applicable to him and demonstrating an abusive execution of his position as Fifa president.

 

In consequence, Mr Blatter has been banned for eight years from all football‑related activities and fined CHF 50,000.  Mr Platini for his part has also been banned for eight years from all football‑related activities and fined CHF 80,000.