Sepp Blatter Loses FIFA Ban Appeal At CAS, Remains Outside Soccer Looking In

The punishment FIFA levied against Sepp Blatter appears to be final.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld Blatter’s six-year ban from soccer Monday after delivering a verdict against the former FIFA president, according to The Associated Press. World soccer’s governing body banned Blatter, its longtime head, for six years because it deemed a $2 million payment he made to former protoge Michel Platini in 2011 to be a violation of its code of ethics.

“… Mr Blatter breached the FIFA code of ethics since the payment amounted to an undue gift as it had no contractual basis,” CAS said in a statement, per talkSport. “The panel further found that Mr Blatter unlawfully awarded contributions to Mr Platini under the FIFA Executive Committee retirement scheme which also amounted to an undue gift.

“Turning to the sanction, the panel noted that Mr Blatter requested the annulment of the ban but did not request a reduced penalty.

“In any event, the panel determined that the sanction imposed was not disproportionate and therefore confirmed the appealed decision in full.”

Blatter said in a statement he accepts the verdict but he didn’t agree with the process used to come to the decision.

“The way the case progressed, no other verdict could be expected,” Blatter said in a statement, per talkSPORT. “I have experienced much in my 41 years in FIFA. I mostly learned that you can win in sport, but you can also lose. Nevertheless I look back with gratitude to all the years, in which I was able to realize my ideals for football and serve FIFA.”

The CAS decision means Blatter’s prospects of becoming FIFA’s honorary president are all but shot.

Blatter presided over FIFA for 17-plus years, starting in 1998 and ending in June 2015 when he stepped aside in disgrace amid the FIFA scandal.

Gianni Infantino wins FIFA presidential election >>

Blatter to publish book on his life in FIFA >>

Blatter’s FIFA exit meaningless without reforms >>

Thumbnail photo via Tim Groothuis/Witters Sport/USA TODAY Sports Images