FIFA ethics investigators seek longer bans for Platini, Blatter

ZURICH: FIFA ethics investigators said on Tuesday they planned an appeal that could extend eight-year bans on world soccer body president Joseph “Sepp” Blatter and European soccer boss Michel Platini, raising the possibility of lifelong exclusion.

Blatter and Platini were both banned from soccer last month for ethics violations, leaving the global game leaderless as it seeks to dig itself out from beneath a slew of corruption cases.Both have denied wrongdoing.

“We have announced we plan to appeal the eight-year bans against Platini and Blatter,” investigatory panel spokesman Andreas Bantel told reporters here, where FIFA has its headquarters.

While Blatter and Platini have said the panel was seeking a lifetime ban from the sport, Bantel declined to comment on the content of its appeal.