Sepp Blatter appeals against suspension

Joseph Sepp Blatter has appealed against his suspension by the Ethics Committee of world football body FIFA, his American lawyer Richard Cullen said on Friday.Cullen told newsmen that Blatter’s appeal was filed Thursday to the FIFA appeal committee.

The news came after Blatter’s adviser Klaus Stoehlker had said an appeal against the provisional suspension would make no sense.

The ethics committee on Thursday banned Blatter, as well as Michel Platini, the UEFA president and FIFA vice-president, for 90 days.

The ban was in in connection with a criminal investigation by Swiss authorities.

Blatter is suspected of mismanagement and Platini is named as the recipient of a “disloyal payment” from FIFA.

Platini said on Thursday that he would appeal the ruling and, like Blatter, he has protested his innocence.

Blatter and Platini are banned from all football activities for 90 days or until the appeal committee nullifies the ban.

However, there is still the possibility of the ethics committee extending the ban for another 45 days.

Platini is a candidate for the FIFA presidency at an extraordinary congress billed for Feb. 26, but he must however first go through an integrity check.

Another potential candidate, Chung Mong-joon of South Korea, was banned for six years Thursday over other issues.

As a result of this, and according to FIFA statutes, senior vice-president Issa Hayatou of Cameroon is now the acting FIFA president.