Sepp Blatter has vowed to return to football, despite being banned for eight years from all footballing activities earlier today.
The 79-year-old spoke to the World's media in Zurich earlier today as he confirmed he was to appeal the ban to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
He said that the ethics committee had no right to go against the President and he could only be removed by the congress which is due to take place next year and added that he will go before the Lausanne-based sports arbitration panel to appeal the committee's decision and, if necessary, take legal action under Swiss law.
Without apologising for what he had done, he said he was sorry that he was "still ... a punching ball" and about what his suspension meant for FIFA. "I'm sorry about me. I will fight, for me and for FIFA. I am suspended for eight years for what?" he said. "I've met with my lawyer. He is putting into question what is right and what is wrong and justice. We will go once again to the appeal committee.
The committee said in a statement that Blatter's assertion that there had been an oral agreement between him and Platini over a two million Swiss Franc payment was not convincing. As a result, it was determined that he had breached the rules on offering and accepting gifts and other benefits. But the committee said there was not sufficient evidence to establish that he had been guilty of corruption under the terms of FIFA's code of ethics.
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