Blatter and Platini – what happened, why were they banned & what next for Fifa & Uefa?
The Fifa president and Uefa boss are both suspended for eight years from all football-related activities - so where do the pair and the sport's main governing bodies go from here?
COMMENT It was the day that few thought would ever come - the day Sepp Blatter was banned from FIFA.
FIFA president Blatter, along with UEFA boss Michel Platini, the man who wanted to replace the Swiss as leader of world football, were both handed eight-year bans from all football-related activities after an ethics investigation.
Blatter, who has been in charge of FIFA since 1998 and won a fifth consecutive term in office earlier this year, has promised to fight the suspension after being found guilty of breaches surrounding a "disloyal payment" to Platini made in 2011.
FIFA's Ethics Committee said it had not found evidence that the payment, which was made at a time when Blatter was aiming for re-election, constituted a bribe but that it had lacked transparency and was a conflict of interest.
Platini, who has led UEFA since 2007, is also expected to appeal the decision.
Blatter was banned for eight years from all football-related activities after being found guilty of making a "disloyal payment" of €2 million to Platini - a decision which he says was communicated to the media before he had been informed.
The 79-year-old, who won a fifth term in office back in June by defeating Jordan's Prince Ali Bin al-Hussein, has already revealed he will appeal against the decision of the FIFA Ethics Committee after claiming he feels "betrayed."
Blatter, who succeeded Joao Havelange as head of FIFA in 1998, held a press conference in the old FIFA building in Zurich where he protested his innocence, invoked the memory of Nelson Mandela and spoke about humanity.
In his press conference he said he had become a "punching ball" for the organisation but said he would fight against the decision and questioned the right of the Ethics Committee to suspend him.
Platini, who had hoped to replace Blatter in February as the new president of FIFA, is also expected to appeal.
Blatter was also fined €50,000 while Platini was hit with a punishment of €80,000.
The ban centres on a payment Blatter made to Platini in 2011. Both men claim the agreement to pay Platini was made in 1998 for work the Frenchman did during his time as technical advisor to Blatter between 1998 and 2002.
Suspicions became aroused when it was noted that the payment was actually received nine years later, in 2011. It was also not part of Platini's written contract - but both men said that they had made a verbal agreement which is legal under Swiss law.
FIFA's adjudicatory chamber, which is led by German judge Hans-Joachim Eckert, listened to the cases of both men last week although Platini declared he would not appear after claiming the result had already been determined.
According to the committee, "Mr Blatter, in his position as president of FIFA, authorised the payment to Mr Platini which had no legal basis in the written agreement signed between both officials on 25 August 1999. Neither in his written statement nor his personal hearing was Mr Blatter able to demonstrate another legal basis for this payment. His assertion of an oral agreement was determined as not convincing and was rejected by the chamber."
The judgement also stated that Blatter had demonstrated "an abusive execution of his position as president of FIFA" and accused him of "failing to place FIFA's interests first and abstain from doing anything which could be contrary to FIFA's interests."
Platini, according to the committee's findings, "failed to act with complete credibility and integrity, showing unawareness of the importance of his duties, concomitant obligations and responsibilities.”
Blatter was in bullish mood during his press conference, questioning the work of the Ethics Committee and insisting he will "fight for me and fight for FIFA."
He accused the Ethics Committee of labelling both him and Platini as liars and revealed that his family has been mocked over his plight.
But things could yet get worse for Blatter, who has been interviewed as part of a criminal investigation, with the Swiss Attorney General investigating the "disloyal payment" to Platini.
Platini, who rejects any allegations of wrongdoing, was spoken to as "someone between a witness and an accused person" under Swiss law.
Blatter has already said he will appeal the decision and could go to the FIFA appeals committee before heading to the Court for Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
If he fails in both of these courts, he could go to the highest court in Switzerland to prove his innocence and quash the ban.
Platini is likely to appeal his suspension at CAS with UEFA giving the Frenchman their full backing.
Neither man will be able to perform their roles while their appeals are pending.
That means UEFA will continue to be led by Angel Maria Villa Llona, the senior vice-president, until the final outcome is known.
In a statement, UEFA said it was "extremely disappointed" with the decision and supports Platini's right "to a due process and the opportunity to clear his name."
FIFA's presidential election will take place on February 26 with Sheikh Salman (above) the current favourite to land the top job.
Prince Ali will also fancy his chances along with Gianni Infantino, the man likely to be backed by UEFA with Platini seemingly unable to stand in the election.
But whoever wins will inherit an organisation in turmoil.
Apart from winning back the trust of the public and the watching world, which in itself may yet prove impossible, there are also a number of ongoing investigations into alleged corruption and wrongdoing within FIFA and member associations.
Blatter, the ultimate survivor, and Platini, who is desperate to clear his name, will not go quietly - this is a story which could yet run and run.
EmoticonEmoticon