FIFA panel tells Blatter, Platini reasons of their bans

ZURICH: FIFA’s ethics panel said on Saturday it had formally given outgoing President Sepp Blatter and European soccer head Michel Platini the reasons for their eight-year bans from the game, information both men could use in an appeal.

Blatter and Platini were banned last month amid the worst corruption scandal in the history of world soccer’s governing body.

“After receiving the grounds for the decisions, both officials may lodge an appeal with the FIFA Appeal Committee,” the adjudicatory chamber of the ethics committee said in a statement, without giving details on the information it sent.

A lawyer for Platini, suspended head of European soccer body UEFA, said he would appeal. Platini withdrew from the race to succeed Blatter this week.