BREAKING NEWS: CAS reduce Platini ban
The Court of Arbitration for Sport has announced a reduction in Michel Platini's ban from football activity.
Michel Platini's suspension from performing any football-related activity has been reduced from six years to four, the Court of Arbitration for Sport has announced.
Frenchman Platini, who continues to deny any wrongdoing, has been in Lausanne to contest his sanction, which was related to a "disloyal payment" made by then FIFA chief Sepp Blatter in 2011.
The original eight-year ban was reduced to six by a FIFA appeals panel with Platini taking his case to CAS in February.
In their ruling, CAS also reduced his fine from CHF 80,000 to CHF 60,000, but maintained he was right to be punished and had taken into account "the absence of any repentance" and the impact on FIFA's reputation.
CAS said their three-man panel had "unanimously determined" that Platini had obtained an "undue advantage" and that there had been "a conflict of interest" in breach of two FIFA Code of Ethics articles, saying they were "not convinced by the legitimacy" of the payment.
However, they still felt the suspension handed down was "too severe", prompting the reduction in his ban.
FIFA were also criticised in CAS' statement for not initiating an investigation into the payment until September 2015, even though the payment had been made in 2011.
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CAS will provide all parties with the full reasons for their decision in the next few weeks.