Fifa committee was 'asleep for four years'

 Banned Uefa president Michel Platini has accused world football's ethics committee of "sleeping" for four years before barring him from football. Platini and Fifa president Sepp Blatter were ruled to have abused their positions over a £1.3m ($2m) "disloyal payment" made to Platini in 2011. Both men are appealing against eight-year bans issued on Monday. "What was the ethics committee doing between 2011, when I was paid, and 2015?" said Platini. "Was it sleeping?" In an interview with French media agency AFP, the 60-year-old former France captain added: "Suddenly it wakes up. Ah yes, it wakes up in a Fifa election year when I'm a candidate. It's amazing." Blatter, the 79-year-old who had been Fifa boss since 1998, had already announced he was quitting, with vice-president Platini tipped to succeed the Swiss at February's election. Platini has been in charge of European football's governing body, Uefa, since 2007. The organisation back him in a statement on Monday, saying it was "extremely disappointed" with the decision. The Frenchman has submitted his candidacy but cannot stand while banned from all footballing activities.

Fifa bans Sepp Blatter, Michel Platini for 8yrs

 

 Fifa president Sepp Blatter and Uefa boss Michel Platini have been suspended for eight years from all football-related activities following an ethics investigation, reports BBC. They were found guilty of breaches surrounding a1.3m ($2m) "disloyal payment" made to Platini in 2011. The Fifa ethics committee found Blatter and Platini had demonstrated an "abusive execution" of their positions. "I will fight for me and for Fifa," Blatter, 79, said at a news conference. The bans come into force immediately. Swiss Blatter and 60-year-old Frenchman Platini have also been fined 33,700 ($40,000) and 54,000 ($80,000) respectively. Both men continue to deny wrongdoing and a spokesman for Blatter confirmed he will appeal against the ban and is prepared to take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) in Lausanne. Platini is expected to do the same. Fifa boss since 1998, Blatter had already announced he was quitting with a presidential election in February. Platini was tipped as a future leader of football's world governing body and is a three-time European Footballer of the Year. He is also a former captain of France and has been in charge of Uefa

Sepp Blatter & Michel Platini bans mark end - Greg Dyke

Eight-year bans mark "the end" for Fifa president Sepp Blatter and Uefa boss Michel Platini, says Football Association chairman Greg Dyke. Both were found guilty of ethics breaches over a £1.3m ($2m) "disloyal payment" to Platini and suspended from all football-related activities. Having previously backed Platini for the next Fifa presidency, Dyke said the FA had yet to decide who to support. The FA "didn't know about Platini" and "were clearly disappointed", Dyke said. "We thought he had done a very good job as president of Uefa," Dyke told BBC Radio 5 live of the 60-year-old Frenchman, who is also one of seven Fifa vice-presidents. Platini and Blatter, 79, intend to appeal against their bans to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) and deny wrongdoing. Five candidates will now contest the Fifa presidential election to replace Blatter, 79, at a special congress on 26 February. "Having opted quite early for Platini - and we had no idea about any of this case - we haven't decided who we are going to support," said Dyke. "We're going to look at all of the candidates in January and February and make up our minds quite late. "Where Fifa finds itself is so difficult, to some extent it doesn't matter who becomes president. What matters is a proper reform programme so the excesses of the Blatter era can't be seen again." The FA suspended its support for Platini's bid to become Fifa president in October pending the ethics inquiry. The Scottish FA, who also supported Platini's bid to become Fifa president , said in a statement it would be "inappropriate to comment any further" on the verdict against Blatter and Platini while both are still able to appeal against their bans".

'I'm very happy in Paris'

Paris is home for Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and that's the way he likes it. Despite the tragic events that unfolded earlier this month in Paris -- which included a foiled attack on the Stade de France -- the Swedish football star isn't about to be cowed into leaving his adopted city. In a city that prides itself on doing things beautifully, and for a scorer of barely imaginable goals -- Paris and Ibrahimovic has been a match made in heaven. "I'm happy in Paris. I'm very happy," Ibrahimovic told Amanda Davies, ahead of Paris Saint-Germain's UEFA Champions League match against his hometown club Malmo on Wednesday.

Champions League draw: English clubs to learn Euro fate on Monday

Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City will learn who they face in the last 16 of the Champions League when the draw is made in Switzerland on Monday. Chelsea and Manchester City will be in pot one having qualified as group winners, meaning either could face French champions Paris St-Germain. As Group F runners-up, Arsenal are in pot two and potentially face either Real Madrid or Barcelona. The draw takes place at 11:00 GMT at Uefa's headquarters in Nyon.

Euro 2016 draw: Guide to the 24 finalists in France

The Euro 2016 groups and fixtures were decided on Saturday. Each qualified nation were assigned to one of four pots for the draw according to their Uefa coefficient ranking, which is based on all competitive results since September 2010. Which of the finalists is "practically the finished article", and which is "as interesting as an early morning trip to, Ikea"