The new order: Blatter and Platini suspended from football for eight years – RIA Novosti

© AP Photo / MTI, Szilard Koszticsak

MOSCOW, December 21 – P -Sports, Nikolai Ryazantsev. The large-scale corruption scandal in the International Football Federation (FIFA), ended in failure for the president of the organization Joseph Blatter and the head of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Michel Platini, suspended from any football activities by 8 years each.

© AP Photo / Riccardo De Luca

The history of the scandal

It all began back in May, when on the eve of presidential elections in the FIFA several high-ranking officials of federation were arrested in Zurich on charges of corruption. Prosecutors announced a large-scale corruption in FIFA over the last two decades around the applications for the World Championships, marketing and broadcasting deals. US authorities, which are the driving force of the investigation already charged 27 current and former soccer officials, including eight former members of the FIFA Executive Committee.

Despite the scandal, the permanent since 1998. President Blatter won the election of Prince of Jordan Ali Bin Al-Hussein, but only that a few days later announced his retirement from his post. It was also decided to hold a full-scale reform of the organization, which were developed and subsequently approved by the Executive Committee of FIFA. corruption scandal also continues to grow.

Swiss Federal Office of Justice (FOJ) 25 September opened a case against Blatter, who was suspected of that illegally transferred two million Swiss francs in 2011. Platini. The money was transferred Platini for the execution of works in the period from January 1999 to June 2002. The Frenchman also said that the payment was made under the contract in accordance with the law. Later, Platini and Blatter told investigators that an agreement has been concluded between them orally.

In early October, the FIFA Ethics Committee dismissed Blatter and Platini for 90 days from any activity related to football. FIFA Appeal Committee dismissed the complaint Blatter and Platini, after which the Frenchman has officially appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which was also rejected. Arbitration Chamber of FIFA November 23 opened a case against both Blatter and Platini on the basis of the reports sent by the Committee of the FIFA Ethics Committee.

© AP Photo / Ennio Leanza

Blatter has not convinced the ethics committee of the existence of the contract

In its decision, the Ethics Committee of FIFA has announced that Blatter’s assertion about a verbal agreement on the payment Platini found unconvincing. It is also indicated that the Chamber did not have sufficient evidence to argue that the actions Blatter comes under paragraph 1 of Article 21 of the Code of Ethics of FIFA (bribery and corruption), but the behavior of the head of the International Federation in relation to platinum, without legal grounds violates paragraph 1 Article 20 (receiving and offering gifts). In addition to the removals Blatter fined 50,000 Swiss francs, and Platini – on 80 thousand.

The very Blatter specially convened press conference at which he said that the existence of the agreement known also members of UEFA, as mentioned in the two meetings of the organization. 79-year-old Swiss said that never made financial fraud, and expressed surprise that now he is suspected of bribery for votes in the presidential elections of 2011. Also, Blatter said that the ethics committee has no right to be released from his obligations as president, and that he would continue to fight for his name and immediately would appeal to the CAS, as well as appeal to the Swiss court.

“I’m sorry to football, I feel sorry for FIFA, where I spent 40 years, I wish all the employees of the organization – said Blatter. – Arbitration Chamber said that I had to make these verbal agreements in the books, I agreed with the this, but it is an administrative mistake, nothing to do with ethics does not matter. The primary decision on my dismissal triggered a tsunami. Inside FIFA people could not understand why FIFA President suspended, as my family, my friends made fun of. I was condemned even before held a meeting. This shows that there is something wrong in the system, and I will fight “.

Blatter stressed that he believes that the US government once worked on an internal investigation by FIFA and the final decision of the ethics committee . However, the removal of the President suggested that, if the World Cup in 2022 went not to Qatar and the United States, it is unlikely to be a scandal even broke.

Do not dig a hole to another

Before making a final decision from Blatter and Platini had the chance to personally present their position at a meeting of the arbitration chamber of the Ethics Committee, but, unlike the head of FIFA, the Frenchman his boycott, saying, that the disciplinary bodies of FIFA showed “its bias, the failure to respect the privacy, the presumption of innocence and the right to protection”.

Earlier, Blatter expressed the view that the original campaign against it launched itself Platini, who has long dreamed of to head of FIFA, and only later it turned into a large-scale trial at the international level. Ironically, the wave of investigations covered and of the head of UEFA, who on Monday called the incident “a farce” and said that once again appeal to the CAS, but his participation in the presidential elections of FIFA is now unlikely to be relevant, even if it is justified.

“UEFA acquainted with the decision of the committee of FIFA Ethics suspend Michel Platini eight years from any football activities. Of course, UEFA is extremely disappointed by this decision, which, however, can be challenged. UEFA Platini again supports the right to clear his name, “- UEFA said in a statement.

A member of the executive committee of FIFA, the sports minister Vitaly Mutko said the” F-Sport “, which for European football Platini suspension – a big minus. “It’s hard to comment on the decision of the ethics committee. We have created a body that is independent. It is difficult to tell what information they have. From what we know and see, in my opinion, no reason not for such severe punishment. Maybe they have any further proof – is unclear. In general, it is bad for European football, UEFA Platini was the leader. And I think that Blatter did not deserve such care of the football, “- Mutko said on the phone.

The name of the new FIFA president public know exactly February 26th. As for the League, it is the representatives of the executive committee meeting of the offer to wait, to be held in late January. It is likely to be determined by the following steps in the management of the organization and set the date of election of a new president in the event that the appeal is not satisfied with Platini. Options there are two: the extraordinary UEFA Congress on February 25 in Zurich or the next Congress organization on May 3 in Budapest.

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