FIFA shortens Blatter, Platini bans amid crucial week for reform agenda

FIFA’s appeal committee has upheld bans on longtime President Sepp Blatter and European soccer head Michel Platini for ethics violations, but reduced them to six years from eight. Both were found guilty of conflicts of interest when Blatter approved a $2 million payment to Platini in 2011 for consultancy work done without a contract a decade earlier.

The appeal committee considered that Mr. Platini’s and Mr. Blatter’s activities and the services they had rendered to FIFA, UEFA and football in general over the years should deserve appropriate recognition as a mitigating factor.

FIFA statement

Blatter and Platini again overshadowed FIFA’s new attempt to turn the page on its scandal-plagued recent past. Earlier Wednesday, the executive committee urged its members to vote through reforms this week — including term limits for top officials and disclosure of their earnings — in a bid to rebuild trust in soccer’s governing body. The reforms will be put to a special congress on Friday that will also elect a new president. UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino and Asian soccer leader Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa are the favorites.

The eyes of the world are on us this week after one of the most challenging times in our history.

Acting FIFA President Issa Hayatou

FIFA