FIFA reduces bans for Blatter, Platini to six years

GENEVA

FIFA’s appeal committee on Wednesday rejected suspended football chiefs Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini’s bids to have their eight-year bans from the sport quashed.

However, their suspensions were reduced to six years. Platini, the head of UEFA, will have to pay an 80,000 Swiss francs ($81,100) fine while Blatter, who is to be replaced as FIFA president on Friday, was fined 50,000 francs ($50,700).

They were suspended in December over a $2 million “disloyal payment” to Platini in 2011.