Blatter to appeal eight-year football ban

FIFA president Sepp Blatter and vice-president Michael Platini have been banned from all football-related activities for eight years, for ethics violations.

Platini had been hoping to cut out the required Federation Internationale de Football Association appeals procedure as he races to try to overturn his ban before the Feb 26 presidential election.

Blatter and Platini each received eight-year bans on Monday for financial misconduct.

The judgement was even more damning of French football legend Platini. But then I’ll take my responsibilities according to what happens.

However, the Frenchman admitted that time is not on his side.

“What is troubling is that I have no certainty about the timetable ahead”.

The United States was initially preferred by Blatter and Platini until the latter reportedly changed his mind and backed Qatar following an alleged meeting with then-France president Nicolas Sarkozy and Qatari officials.

“I’m struggling to understand. Why?”

“There was a debt that was settled”. Then, in 2015, the Swiss court wanted more information.

The ban seems set to ruin Platini’s plan to contest the elections set for next February to find a successor for Blatter. “Was it sleeping? Suddenly it wakes up”, he scoffed.

Platini insists he should not be bunged into the same bracket as Blatter, who has always been suspected of corrupt practices.

Blatter told a news conference he would take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland.

“But in the meantime, my name has been dragged through the mud”, he added.

“I don’t think you can put Blatter and Platini in the same boat”, he told talkSPORT.

Superficial nods towards a reform process have been made in recognition of mounting public pressure to do so, leading to changes on the surface which have continued to protect those in the organisation who are in it for themselves.

“First of all, I was sad, but now I’m not sad”, Blatter said when asked for his reaction to the punishment.

The FA had ruled out any bid while Blatter was in charge following their failed attempt for the 2018 World Cup, but his ban could open the way to consideration of another bid if the FIFA Congress in February brings in the right reforms.