- Platini says to appeal to sports arbitration court
- Blatter says disappointed by decision, will appeal
ZURICH — Suspended FIFA President Sepp Blatter and European soccer chief Michel Platini have lost their appeals against provisional 90-days bans by the global soccer body's ethics committee, FIFA said Wednesday.
Blatter and Platini, who had been favorite to take over in February's FIFA presidential election, were suspended on Oct. 8, engulfed by a deepening corruption scandal as the sport faces criminal investigations in Switzerland and the United States.
The decision by the FIFA Appeal Committee, which rejected the appeals "in full", was a further blow to Frenchman Platini's hopes of standing on Feb. 26. The electoral committee has said his registration will not be processed while he is suspended.
The former France captain and coach, who is not allowed to campaign or engage in any football-related activities until his suspension is lifted, said he would appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
"Michel Platini has full confidence that the CAS will restore all his rights," said a statement issued by his spokesman. "Meanwhile, he remains a composed and determined candidate for the FIFA presidency.
"The decision comes as no surprise," the statement said. "It confirms that FIFA, through its internal bodies, is conducting a one-sided, unfair and biased investigation against Michel Platini, repeatedly violating his right to defend himself."
If Platini wins his appeal at the CAS, the electoral committee has said it would review his case but there is no guarantee he would be able to stand in the election as it would depend on the timing.
Blatter said in a statement issued by his US lawyer he was "disappointed" by the decision and would appeal "and looks forward to the opportunity to be heard, including through the presentation of evidence and argument of counsel, and thereby demonstrate he has engaged in no misconduct."
Both statements complained that the Appeal Committee took more than two weeks to announce it's decision. FIFA could not immediately be reached to comment on any delay.
Buffeted by scandals over the last few years, FIFA was thrown into turmoil in May by the US indictments of 14 football officials, including two FIFA vice presidents, and sports marketing executives for alleged corruption.
Blatter, who has been at the head of FIFA since 1998, also faces criminal investigation in Switzerland over a 2 million Swiss franc ($2.1 million) payment from FIFA to Platini. Both men have denied wrongdoing.
The payment was made in 2011 for work Platini had completed nine years earlier, the Swiss attorney general's office has said, adding Platini was considered "between a witness and an accused person."
FIFA's Ethics Committee has said it hopes to have completed the full investigation into Blatter and Platini in time for a final decision to be made on their cases by the end of their 90-day suspension period.
Five candidates have been accepted for the presidential election and the job of rebuilding the sport's beleaguered governing body.
They are Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein of Jordan, Asian Football Confederation President Shaikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa of Bahrain, former FIFA official Jerome Champagne of France, UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino of Switzerland and South Africa businessman Tokyo Sexwale.
Infantino entered the race a day before the deadline in October and is expected to withdraw if Platini is allowed back in. — Reuters
