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 The pair, who were also fined, had been suspended in October while
an investigation was carried out into a 2 million Swiss franc ($2.02
million) payment that soccer's global governing body made to Platini
in 2011, with Blatter's approval.
The decision means that Blatter's 17 years at the helm of world
soccer will end in disgrace, and spells the end of Platini's hopes
of replacing the 79-year-old in a presidential election in February.
The Swiss, who spent four decades at FIFA, came out swinging,
holding a news conference to tell reporters that he was sorry only
that the president of FIFA was being treated as a "punching ball".
"I will fight for me and I will fight for FIFA," said Blatter,
unshaven and with a sticking plaster on his cheek, but defiant.
He said FIFA's Ethics Committee had no right to relieve him of his
duties and that he would challenge the decision in FIFA’s Appeals
Committee and, if necessary, the Court of Arbitration for Sport in
Lausanne, Switzerland, and in the Swiss courts.
The committee said it had not found evidence that the payment, made
at a time when Blatter was seeking re-election, constituted a bribe,
which meant the men were spared potential lifetime bans.
VERBAL AGREEMENT
But it said the transaction had nevertheless lacked transparency and
presented a conflict of interest. Platini, like Blatter, has denied
wrongdoing.
The ethics inquiry began after the Swiss attorney general decided to
open criminal proceedings against Blatter over the payment to
Platini. The office is also investigating FIFA's award of the 2018
and 2022 World Cup finals to Russia and Qatar.
Blatter and Platini argued that the payment followed from a verbal
agreement they made in 1998, and concerned work that Platini did for
FIFA between 1998 and 2002.
“The evidence available to the adjudicatory chamber in the present
case was not sufficient to establish, to the extent required, that
Mr Blatter sought the execution or omission of an official act from
Mr Platini,” said a statement, referring to the ‘bribery and
corruption’ section of the code.
But the committee's adjudicatory chamber did find that the payment
had been “without a legal basis” and a breach of regulations
governing gifts and other benefits.
It said Blatter “found himself in a situation of conflict of
interest, despite which he continued to perform his related duties,
failing to disclose said situation and the existence of personal
interests linked to his prospective activities”.
“By failing to place FIFA’s interests first and abstain from doing
anything which could be contrary to FIFA’s interests, Mr Blatter
violated his fiduciary duty to FIFA,” it added.
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ABUSE OF OFFICE
The chamber concluded that Blatter’s actions ultimately
demonstrated "an abusive execution of his position as President of
FIFA”.
It also said Platini's argument that there had been an oral
agreement for the payment had not been convincing, and that he, too,
had abused his position as a FIFA vice-president and Executive
Committee member.
"Mr Platini failed to act with complete credibility and integrity,
showing unawareness of the importance of his duties and concomitant
obligations and responsibilities," it said.
Blatter was fined 50,000 Swiss francs and Platini, who boycotted
the ethics committee hearing as unfair, 80,000.
UEFA said it was disappointed with the ruling and "supports Michel
Platini’s right to a due process and the opportunity to clear his
name".
Until his suspension, Platini had been the frontrunner to succeed
Blatter at the top of world soccer. Following Monday's ruling, the
British bookmaker William Hill made Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al
Khalifa, president of the Asian Football Confederation, the 6-5
favourite, followed by Jordan's Prince Ali al Hussein on 13-8 and
UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino, of Switzerland, on 5-2.
In the United States, prosecutors have indicted 27 current or
former soccer officials, including eight former FIFA Executive
Committee members and the current heads of both the North and South
American federations, over allegations that they ran bribery schemes
connected to the sale of television rights for soccer competitions.
Twelve people and two sports marketing companies have been
convicted.
(Additional reporting by Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi; Editing by Michael
Shields and Kevin Liffey)
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