Federation Internationale de Football Association rejects Blatter, Platini appeals against suspension

If Blatter and Platini still wish to contest their suspensions, their last option is to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The lawyers said in a statement that only a “one-sided case” had been considered and he would now go to the CAS, which he dubbed “serious and independent”.

Blatter was placed under criminal investigation in early October over suspicions he signed off a “disloyal” $2 million payment to Platini in 2011 and striking a World Cup TV rights contract with disgraced former Federation Internationale de Football Association vice president Jack Warner that was “unfavourable to FIFA”.

UEFA president Michel Platini has also seen his appeal rejected.

Platini’s ban means his Federation Internationale de Football Association presidential election campaign has had to be put on hold.

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.

Platini and Blatter insist there was an oral agreement for the payment made in 1998 when the Frenchman started work as technical advisor for Blatter.

Officials in Switzerland have opened criminal proceedings against Blatter and have questioned Platini over his suspected criminal mismanagement of Federation Internationale de Football Association money. Both men have denied wrongdoing.

The two will now face a full hearing with FIFA’s Ethics Committee, where guilty verdicts could result in much longer suspensions. Whatever sanctions Eckert applies can also be appealed to CAS.