MOSCOW (Sputnik) — On December 21, FIFA’s Independent Ethics Committee Adjudicatory Chamber banned Blatter and Platini, who was also FIFA Vice President, for eight years from all football-related activities because of Blatter making an alleged payment of some 2 million Swiss francs ($2.03 million at current exchange rates) to Platini at the expense of FIFA. However, later the ban was reduced to six years.
FIFA has been mired in a corruption scandal since early 2015. In May, several high-ranking FIFA officials were arrested in Zurich on corruption charges. Prosecutors have alleged widespread intra-FIFA corruption linked with World Cup bids and marketing and broadcasting rights.
Following Blatter's resignation, Swiss-Italian football administrator Gianni Infantino was elected new FIFA president, while Spain's Angel Maria Villar Llona became acting UEFA president, because of Platini's suspension.
