Blatter and Platini banned from football for eight years

Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini have been suspended from all football-related activities for eight years.

The ruling was issued by FIFA’s Ethics Committee on Monday, with the bans coming into force immediately.

It follows an investigation into a payment of CHF2m (£1,34m) in February 2011 from FIFA to Platini, a payment authorised by Blatter.

The committee found that the payment “had no legal basis in the written agreement signed between both officials on 25 August 1999”.

It said neither Blatter or Platini were able to able to demonstrate another legal reason for the payment.

The pair also claimed they had an verbal agreement, but the committee determined the evience as “not convincing”.

Blatter has also been fined CHF50,000, while Platini has been fined CHF80,000.