ZURICH: Suspended UEFA President Michel Platini walked into FIFA headquarters on Monday to appeal his eight-year ban over a $2 million payment approved by Sepp Blatter.
Platini declined to be driven past waiting media and strolled from his nearby hotel into the main entrance at FIFA Strasse on a hill overlooking Zurich.
The former FIFA presidential hopeful denies wrongdoing and is challenging the sanctions imposed in December after an ethics committee hearing he refused to attend.
"They were already saying everything in newspapers so it was not worth going to hear what was already in the papers," Platini said of his previous strategy. "Now it's the appeals commission, so we'll see what happens, but maybe it's not over."
FIFA's ethics committee found Platini guilty of accepting gifts, conflicts of interest and breaching loyalty and general conduct rules. He was fined 80,000 Swiss francs ($81,000).
Ethics judges said Platini's lawyers' argument was "not convincing" that a verbal contract entitled him to get uncontracted salary in 2011 for work as Blatter's presidential adviser from 1999-2002.
The FIFA appeals committee, which rarely overturns rulings, could give its verdict this week.
Blatter's appeal of his eight-year ban is to be heard on Tuesday, just 10 days before the FIFA election congress he hopes to attend to see his successor chosen.
FIFA ethics prosecutors said they would lodge counter-appeals seeking life bans if bribery could be proved.
Both men can pursue further appeals at the Court of Arbitration for Sport if their bans are maintained.
Platini's hopes of following his one-time mentor into the top job were wrecked by the investigation into the $2 million payment.
AP
