- Title: Court of Arbitration for Sport maintains ban for ex-FIFA head Blatter
- Date: 5th December 2016
- Summary: LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND (DECEMBER 5, 2016) (REUTERS) OUTSIDE OF COURT OF ARBITRATION FOR SPORT (SOUNDBITE) (English) MATTHIEU REEB, COURT OF ARBITRATION FOR SPORT SECRETARY GENERAL, SAYING: "The Court of Arbitration for Sport has rendered today its decision in the arbitration between Joseph (Sepp) Blatter and FIFA. The appeal of Mr. Blatter has been dismissed, accordingly the decision rendered by the FIFA appeals committee in February this year remains in force and Mr. Blatter remains banned from taking part in any football related activity at national or international level for six years as of October 8, 2015 and must still pay a fine of 50,000 Swiss francs. Generally speaking, the reasons expressed in this decision are very similar to the ones expressed in the (Michel) Platini award. The panel found that Mr. Blatter breached the FIFA code of ethics, one by approving a payment of 2 million Swiss francs in favour of Michel Platini outside any contractual basis, and two by awarding contributions to Michel Platini under the FIFA executive committee retirement scheme. So in both situations both payments amounted to an undue gift. Regarding the sanction, the CAS panel noted that Mr. Blatter requested the annulment of the ban but did not request a reduced penalty. In any event the panel determined that the sanction imposed was not disproportionate and decided to confirm the FIFA decision in full. An appeal before the Swiss tribunal may be filed against that award within 30 days from receipt of the decision of CAS." CAS SIGN REEB WALKS BACK INTO BUILDING
- Embargoed: 20th December 2016 15:35
- Keywords: Soccer FIFA CAS Blatter
- Location: LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND
- City: LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND
- Country: Switzerland
- Reuters ID: LVA0015BLYL33
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has lost his appeal against a six-year ban for ethics violations, imposed amid the biggest corruption scandal to shake the world soccer body, the Court of Arbitration for Sport said on Monday (December 5).
Blatter led FIFA for 17 years, resigning in June last year after several dozen football officials, including former FIFA executive committee members, and entities were indicted in the United States on graft charges.
Blatter, 80, was not among those indicted but himself became embroiled in scandal when he was banned from all football-related activity the following December by FIFA's ethics committee, along with Michel Platini, then the president of the European soccer body UEFA.
The men were banned over a payment of 2 million Swiss francs ($1.98 million) that FIFA made to Platini in 2011, with Blatter's approval, for work done a decade earlier.
CAS said in a statement that its panel had determined that Blatter "breached the FIFA code of ethics since the payment amounted to an undue gift as it had no contractual basis".
"The Panel further found that Mr. Blatter unlawfully awarded contributions to Mr. Platini under the FIFA Executive Committee retirement scheme which also amounted to an undue gift."
Blatter and Platini have denied wrongdoing.
($1 = 1.0093 Swiss francs) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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