Advertisement

Formal proceedings opened against Blatter and Platini

Formal proceedings have been opened against Blatter and Platini. Credit: PA

Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini will have formal hearings later this month into allegations that they breached FIFA's ethics code, it has been announced.

Hans-Joachim Eckert, the German judge who heads the adjudicatory chamber of FIFA's ethics committee, has opened proceedings against the pair after studying reports from investigators.

Outgoing FIFA president Blatter and UEFA president Platini are facing lengthy bans if found guilty of several breaches of FIFA's ethics code over a #1.3million payment made by FIFA to Platini in 2011. A decision is expected before Christmas.

A statement from FIFA's ethics committee said:

The adjudicatory chamber has studied the reports carefully and decided to institute formal proceedings against the two officials. For reasons linked to privacy rights and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty, the adjudicatory chamber will not publish details of the sanctions requested by the investigatory chamber in its final reports.

In the course of the proceedings, both parties will be invited to submit positions including any evidence with regard to the final reports of the investigatory chamber and they may request a hearing.

The adjudicatory chamber intends to come to a decision in both cases during the month of December.

– Statement from Fifa's ethics committee