Former head of FIFA, Sepp Blatter has lost his appeal against a six-year ban from the sport at Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland* Court maintains Blatter ban for giving Platini "undue gifts"* Court says no contract existed for payment of 2 million Sw fr* Blatter only requested annulment, not reduction, of 6-year ban (Adds Blatter comments to Reuters)Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has lost his appeal against a six-year ban for ethics violations, imposed amid the biggest corruption scandal to shake the world soccer body, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said on Monday. Blatter, who led FIFA for 17 years, told Reuters in a telephone interview that he was "disappointed but not shattered". "The Panel further found that Mr Blatter unlawfully awarded contributions to Mr Platini under the FIFA Executive Committee retirement scheme which also amounted to an undue gift." And in September, FIFA's Ethics Committee said it was investigating Blatter and two other former leading FIFA officials over the salaries and bonuses they had received while in office. Blatter, who must also pay a fine of 50,000 Swiss francs, told Reuters after the CAS ruling: "I have accepted it now.

Source: Standard Digital December 05, 2016 17:07 UTC