FIFA has dismissed appeals by Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini over their suspensions from soccer-related activities but reduced the length of the duo's bans from eight to six years.
FIFA president Blatter and his UEFA counterpart Platini were suspended in December when the adjudicatory chamber of the Ethics Committee ruled a payment of 2 million Swiss francs (approximately $2 million at the current exchange rate) authorized by Blatter, 79, to the former France captain constituted multiple infringements of the FIFA Code of Ethics.
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Both men have continued to maintain their innocence, but the FIFA Appeal Committee upheld the Ethics Committee's findings that they breached FCE articles relating to offering and accepting gifts and other benefits; conflicts of interests; loyalty; and general rules of conduct.