CAS to hear appeal from FIFA's ex-chief Blatter on August 25

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) announced on Friday that it would hear the appeal of former world football governing body FIFA president Sepp Blatter against his suspension next month on August 25.

"25 August 2016? CAS 2016/A/4501 Joseph S. Blatter v. FIFA," the world's supreme court of sports affairs announced on its webpage on Friday.

In early October last year, Blatter and then-president of European soccer organisation UEFA Michel Platini were both suspended for the period of 90 days from their posts as part of the investigation into corruption allegations against them, reports Tass.

Among a number of corruption allegations, Blatter was suspected of a disloyal payment of 2 million Swiss francs (around $2.03 million) to Platini in February 2011.

The adjudicatory chamber of the independent FIFA Ethics Committee held hearings into corruption charges on December 17 and 18, in regard to Blatter and Platini respectively, and on December 21 they were both suspended for the period of eight years from all football-related activities.

The Ethics Committee also subjected both of the football executives to financial fines, obliging Blatter to pay 50,000 Swiss francs (over $50,300) and Platini -- 80,000 Swiss francs (over $80,500).

On March 2, FIFA Appeal Committee ruled to reduce the suspension sentences for Platini and Blatter from eight to six years.

Following the FIFA Appeal Committee's ruling both Platini and Blatter submitted appeals with the CAS in Lausanne.

On May 9, CAS announced its verdict reducing the suspension term of Platini from six to four years and cutting the earlier imposed fine from 80,000 Swiss francs ($81,409) to 60,000 Swiss francs ($61,040).

Following the verdict from the CAS, Platini announced his plans to resign from the post of the UEFA president and Europe's governing body of football slated the election of a new president for September 14 in Athens.

--IANS

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