The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has dismissed Former Fifa president, Sepp Blatter’s appeal against his six-year ban from football.
The 80-year-old Swiss who served as the president of the world football’s governing body from 1998 to 2015 was banned for allegedly making a “disloyal payment” of 2 million Swiss francs ($1.98m) to Michel Platini, then the UEFA president, in 2011; a payment that was described as “an undue gift” with “no contractual basis”.
FIFA is still investigating why Sepp Blatter paid himself bonuses totalling £26 million between 2010 and 2015. Germany got £20 million for winning 2014 World Cup in Brazil and he got £8.5 million bonus for helping to organise it.
After the hearing, Blatter said “no other verdict could be expected. “I have to accept this decision. I have experienced much in my 41 years in Fifa. I mostly learned that you can win in sport, but you can also lose.”
In its verdict, Cas said Blatter “requested the annulment of the ban but did not request a reduced penalty” adding that “In any event, the panel determined that the sanction imposed was not disproportionate.”
Both Blatter and Platini were banned for eight years last December, they however had their bans reduced to six years by its appeals committee.
Blatter, Platini get 8-year ban
Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini, have been suspended for eight years from all football-related activities, with immediate effect.
A statement from FIFA Ethics Committee read: “The proceedings against Mr Blatter primarily related to a payment of CHF 2,000,000 (£1.34m) transferred in February 2011 from FIFA to Mr Platini.
“Mr Blatter, in his position as President of FIFA, authorised the payment to Mr Platini which had no legal basis in the written agreement signed between both officials on 25 August 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.”
.
Blatter and Platini to appear before FIFA ethics committee on December 16-18
Suspended FIFA President, Sepp
Blatter and his UEFA President, Michel Platini who were provisionally suspended
by the FIFA ethichs in October for 90 days on allegations of corruption will
appear before the committee on December 16-18.
Blatter and his UEFA President, Michel Platini who were provisionally suspended
by the FIFA ethichs in October for 90 days on allegations of corruption will
appear before the committee on December 16-18.
“Mr Platini and Mr Blatter will
have the chance to present their positions during hearings scheduled between
December 16-18,” A spokesman told AFP.
have the chance to present their positions during hearings scheduled between
December 16-18,” A spokesman told AFP.
Asides the duo, has charged 14 ex-FIFA officials and
sports marketing executives have also been charged by the United States justice
department with more than $150 million of bribery and corruption for several
years.
sports marketing executives have also been charged by the United States justice
department with more than $150 million of bribery and corruption for several
years.
FIFA’s Blatter, Platini, And Valcke suspended for 90 Days. Issa Hayatou named acting president.
FIFA’s ethics committee announced today that it was provisionally suspending its president, Sepp Blatter, for 90 days as well as Secretary General Jerome Valcke and Vice President Michel Platini. FIFA Vice President Chung Mong-joon was also handed a 6- year ban. Cameroonian FIFA Vice President Issa Hayatou has been named the acting president.
The full statement on FIFA’s website, reads:
The adjudicatory chamber of the Ethics Committee chaired by Hans Joachim Eckert has provisionally banned FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter, UEFA President and FIFA Vice-President Michel Platini, and FIFA Secretary General Jérôme Valcke (who has already been put on leave by his employer FIFA) for a duration of 90 days. The duration of the bans may be extended for an additional period not exceeding 45 days. The former FIFA Vice-President Chung Mong-joon has been banned for six years and fined CHF 100,000. During this time, the above individuals are banned from all football activities on a national and international level. The bans come into force immediately.
The grounds for these decisions are the investigations that are being carried out by the investigatory chamber of the Ethics Committee. The chairman of the chamber is Dr Cornel Borbély. The investigation into Joseph S. Blatter is being carried out by Robert Torres, the investigation into Michel Platini by Vanessa Allard.
The proceedings against the South Korean football official Chung Mong-joon were opened in January 2015 based on findings in the report on the investigation into the bidding process for the 2018/2022 FIFA World Cups™. He has been found guilty of infringing article 13 (General rules of conduct), article 16 (Confidentiality), article 18 (Duty of disclosure, cooperation and reporting), article 41 (Obligation of the parties to collaborate) and article 42 (General obligation to collaborate) of the FIFA Code of Ethics.
The Ethics Committee is unable to comment on the details of the decisions until they become final, due to the provisions of article 36 (Confidentiality) of the FIFA Code of Ethics.
Another statement released said Blatter had been relieved of his duties, and that the ban applied to “all football activities on a national and international level.”
Blatter steps out of IOC
Embattled FIFA president, Sepp Blatter has relinquished his position on the International Olympic Committee as he deemed it ‘inappropriate’. IOC president, Thomas Bach confirmed this after disclosing that Blatter informed him through a letter on July 23 that he would not stand again.
Bach said: “[Blatter] does not deem it to be appropriate to stand for re-election for eight years knowing that after seven months his term would come to an end.”
Blatter, an IOC member since 1999, would have had to retire from his IOC term next year anyway because he turns 80 in March. Blatter will step down as FIFA president in February, a decision he made in June following the bribery scandal that has led to the indictments of top FIFA officials. Blatter himself has not been indicted and denies any wrongdoing.
Sepp Blatter's daughter on his resignation. "I am both sad and relieved."
Sepp Blatter’s daughter, Corinne Blatter has described her father’s resignation as FIFA President as a great relief adding that his decision had nothing to do with “the accusations that are currently circulating.”
In an interview with BBC Sports news correspondent, Richard Conway. Corrine said, “I am both sad and relieved. My father’s announcement was a relief as it means the pressure that was building up on all sides has now disappeared. In the end it was simply a matter of wearing him down. That was extremely painful for me. My wish now is for calm to be restored, both for my father and for world football. But above all I wish for the world to finally acknowledge the great things he has done for football in the last 40 years.”
Credit: Richard Conway
Sepp Blatter resigns as FIFA President+full transcript of his speech.
After a 17-year reign, President of football governing body, FIFA President, Sepp Blatter has resigned. The call for his resignation started about a week ago after allegations of corruption were levelled against some officials in the organisation.
And during his reelection last Friday, the 79 year-old was quoted as saying, “Why would I resign? It would mean I did something wrong”.
Full statement
“I have been reflecting deeply about my presidency and about the 40 years in which my life has been inextricably bound to Fifa and the great sport of football. I cherish Fifa more than anything and I want to do only what is best for Fifa and for football.
I felt compelled to stand for re-election, as I believed that this was the best thing for the organisation. That election is over but Fifa’s challenges are not. Fifa needs a profound overhaul.
It is my deep care for Fifa and its interests, which I hold very dear, that has led me to take this decision.
While I have a mandate from the membership of Fifa, I do not feel that I have a mandate from the entire world of football – the fans, the players, the clubs, the people who live, breathe and love football as much as we all do at Fifa.
Therefore, I have decided to lay down my mandate at an extraordinary elective Congress. I will continue to exercise my functions as Fifa President until that election.
The next ordinary Fifa Congress will take place on 13 May 2016 in Mexico City. This would create unnecessary delay and I will urge the Executive Committee to organise an Extraordinary Congress for the election of my successor at the earliest opportunity. This will need to be done in line with Fifa’s statutes and we must allow enough time for the best candidates to present themselves and to campaign.
Since I shall not be a candidate, and am therefore now free from the constraints that elections inevitably impose, I shall be able to focus on driving far-reaching, fundamental reforms that transcend our previous efforts.
For years, we have worked hard to put in place administrative reforms, but it is plain to me that while these must continue, they are not enough. The Executive Committee includes representatives of confederations over whom we have no control, but for whose actions Fifa is held responsible. We need deep-rooted structural change.
The size of the Executive Committee must be reduced and its members should be elected through the Fifa Congress. The integrity checks for all Executive Committee members must be organised centrally through Fifa and not through the confederations. We need term limits not only for the president but for all members of the Executive Committee. I have fought for these changes before and, as everyone knows, my efforts have been blocked.
This time, I will succeed. I cannot do this alone. I have asked Domenico Scala to oversee the introduction and implementation of these and other measures. Mr Scala is the Independent Chairman of our Audit and Compliance Committee elected by the Fifa Congress. He is also the Chairman of the ad hoc Electoral Committee and, as such, he will oversee the election of my successor. Mr Scala enjoys the confidence of a wide range of constituents within and outside of Fifa and has all the knowledge and experience necessary to help tackle these major reforms.
It is my deep care for Fifa and its interests, which I hold very dear, that has led me to take this decision. I would like to thank those who have always supported me in a constructive and loyal manner as President of Fifa and who have done so much for the game that we all love. What matters to me more than anything is that when all of this is over, football is the winner.”
"I am the president now, the president of everybody." Sepp Blatter as he's re-elected FIFA President.
79 year-old Sepp Blatter has been re-elected as President of football governing body, FIFA. He garnered133 votes to his rival, Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan’s 73.
The Swiss will serve a fifth term – despite calls for him to resign after Wednesday’s corruption scandal. Sepp who has now worked for the organisation for 40 years will serve 4 more years and won’t leave office until the age of 83.
“I was a little nervous today. Now I am the president. President of everybody. President of the whole FIFA.” He said after addressing FIFA Congress.
FIFA to introduce TV monitor that'll allow managers to challenge refereeing decisions
I hope it doesn’t stop few months after it is introduced trust me cos whether the referees are right or wrong coaches would always challenge their decisions. Goal.com reports that FIFA President, Sepp Blatter is planning to introduce a TV monitor that will allow managers to challenge refereeing decisions.
“The next step I will propose to the international board is to try to bring this so-called ‘call’ that the coaches or team managers have the right in a half, twice or once, to challenge a refereeing decision but only when the game is stopped. Then there must be a television monitor [provided] by the television company, then the referee and coach look at it and the referee may then change his mind as is the case in tennis for instance.” Blatter said at the 2014 Soccerex convention in Manchester, England.