Sepp Blatter, Michel Platini have FIFA bans reduced from eight to six years

FIFA president Sepp Blatter and UEFA president Michel Platini had their eight-year bans from world soccer reduced on appeal from eight year to six, FIFA announced Wednesday.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter and UEFA president Michel Platini had their eight-year bans from world soccer reduced on appeal from eight years to six, FIFA announced Wednesday.

Blatter and Platini were suspended from their positions in October and received their eight-year bans in December. FIFA prosecutors announced last month that they were appealing the decision and sought to ban the men from the game for life. 

Blatter, 79, and Platini, 60, were found by FIFA’s Appeal Committee to have violated the organization’s general rules of conduct, as well as rules of loyalty, conflict of interests and offering and accepting gifts and other benefits. 

• Interactive: Match the FIFA executive to his alleged misdeed​

At the center of the controversy is a $2 million payment from Blatter to Platini in 2011. Both men deny any wrongdoing, saying the payment was for backdated salary.