FIFA court opens case against Blatter, Platini, decision in December

LausanneThe judgement arm of FIFAs ethics committee on Monday opened a case against the bodys suspended president Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini with a verdict in the corruption allegations surrounding both men due next monthThe panel of judges known as the adjudicatory chamber received the final report from the ethics committees investigative branch on Saturday which called for sanctions to be levelled against both menA guilty verdict would almost certainly crush UEFA president Platinis hopes of succeeding Blatter at the top of world footballs governing bodyThe investigative branch did not disclose the severity of the recommended sanctions or the evidence collected but both Blatter and Platini have been implicated in possible criminal conduct in a separate case launched by Swiss prosecutors In a statement the adjudicatory chamber said it had opened formal adjudicatory proceedings against Joseph S Blatter and Michel Platini based on the final reports submitted by the investigatory chamberThe chamber intends to come to a decision in both cases during the month of December the statement further said FIFAs ethics committee provisionally suspended both men once the two most powerful figures in world football for 90 days in October Blatter Platini and their representatives can appear before the FIFAappointed judges to mount a defence while investigators can also make a presentation in the process that functions like an inhouse court Multiyear suspensions Multiple sources close to the case who requested anonymity have said that Blatter a Swiss national and Frances Platini could face suspensions from football of between five and seven years if found guilty The provisional 90day suspensions which expire on January 5 followed the opening of a criminal case by Switzerlands attorney generalSwiss prosecutors said they were targeting Blatter for possible criminal mismanagement during his tenure as FIFAs president including signing off on a dodgy TV rights dealPlatini was questioned over a suspect 2million 19million euro payment he received from FIFA in 2011 reportedly for work done a decade earlier Blatter had already agreed to step down as FIFAs president following a special election in February a concession made days after the United States charged 14 exFIFA officials and sports marketing executives with 150million worth of corruption going back decades Those indictments kicked off an unprecedented scandal at FIFA sparking widespread calls for massive reforms including from some of the worlds largest corporations which sponsor the World CupFor Blatter a guilty verdict would speed up his departure date from FIFA But for Platini who had been the favourite to succeed Blatter a conviction by FIFAs ethics watchdog could mark a stunning end to his career in football governance He remains a candidate in the presidential vote but has been barred from campaigning during his suspension while five other candidates who have already passed an ethics test have been free to make their case to FIFAs 209 member associationsIn excerpts of an interview given to Swiss broadcaster RTS released on Sunday Blatter declared Platini to be an honest man echoing previous comments from both men that the 2million payment was legitimate Blatter assured that if Platini emerges from the suspension saga he will win the presidential votePlatini representatives have lashed out at the ethics review process in recent days claiming that FIFA had lost all credibility in its handling of the exJuventus stars case