Blatter's turn to face FIFA Appeals Committee, Platini says his hearing went well

Banned FIFA President Sepp Blatter will appear before a hearing to appeal against his suspension from the sport at the headquarters of soccer’s governing body on Tuesday (February 15).

Blatter and UEFA President Michel Platini, who made his case before FIFA’s Appeal Committee on Monday, were handed eight-year bans from the game in December amid the worst corruption scandal in the history of the organisation.

After his hearing on Monday, Michel Platini said he was “quite happy” with the conduct of his FIFA Appeal Committee and would like to get back to work on the Euro 2016 tournament.

Leaving the Appeal Committee hearing on Monday, Platini said: “It has been a really good hearing, it has been very well conducted by people who have been sincere and I’m quite happy about how it went. Now, their interpretation – we’ll see how it will go, I don’t know what they are going to do, but I’m quite happy with how it went.”

He said he wanted to return to work at UEFA quickly.

“I hope to go back to work as soon as possible, I hope to go back to the office as soon as the decision has been given by the appeal commission and then, well, prepare Euro (2016 tournament). There are things to do that are important; it’s been several months that I’ve not been working. I always tried to be reasonable regarding the decisions, regarding especially UEFA, so I’m waiting to go back, to work on the Euro, this beautiful European football party which will take place in a country called France.”

Platini is however still fighting for reinstatement.

FIFA has been hit by graft scandals that have led to the indictment of several dozen leading soccer officials by the United States.