FIFA corruption investigators will seek longer bans against Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini than the eight years ordered by a tribunal last month.
“The investigatory chamber intends to appeal against the decision for Mr Blatter and Mr Platini at the FIFA appeal committee,” FIFA ethics committee spokesman Andreas Bantel told AFP.
Blatter and Platini were suspended from all football activity for eight years by a FIFA tribunal on December 21.
They had faced an inquiry over a two million Swiss franc ($2 million/1.8 million euro) payment that Blatter approved to Platini.
FIFA prosecutors had recommended a life ban for the pair, who had both denied any wrongdoing.
Blatter and Platini were suspended from all football activity for eight years by a FIFA tribunal on December 21. The ethics judges rejected corruption charges but said the pair had abused their positions in making the payment.
Both have vowed appeals to FIFA as well as the Court of Arbitration for Sport and Swiss courts if necessary. Platini lodged his appeal at FIFA on Monday, his entourage said.
Blatter, who has led FIFA for 17 years, said the payment to Platini, the president of Europe’s governing body UEFA, was for consultancy work carried out between 1999 and 2002.
They have said there was only an oral contract for the accord but insisted it is legal.
Blatter, 79, was to stand down at a FIFA congress on February 26 when a special election is to be held. But the suspension has devastated 60-year-old Platini’s hopes of becoming FIFA leader. The Frenchman announced last week that he was withdrawing from the FIFA race to concentrate on clearing his name.
FIFA appeals committee rarely reduces sanctions imposed by the governing body’s ethics or disciplinary panels.
