Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini Bag Eight-years Bans

Fifa president Sepp Blatter and Uefa boss Michel Platini have been suspended for eight years from all football-related activities following an ethics investigation.

The bans come into force immediately.

They were found guilty of breaches surrounding a £1.3m ($2m) "disloyal payment" made to Mr Platini in 2011.

The Fifa ethics committee found Blatter and Platini had demonstrated an "abusive execution" of their positions.

Swiss Blatter and 60-year-old Frenchman Platini have also been fined £33,700 ($40,000) and £54,000 ($80,000) respectively.

Both men deny any 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.

Sepp Blatter is the Fifa boss since 1998, he had already announced he was quitting with a presidential election in February; while  Platini is currently the UEFA president who was also tipped as a future leader of football's world governing body and is a three-time European Footballer of the Year.

He is has been in charge of Uefa - European football's governing body - since 2007.

Mr Blatter during press conference says he will appeal against the ban, and is ready to take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport if necessary.

Blatter who was in defiant mood at news conference "I will fight," he said. "I will fight for me and for Fifa."

He said he was "really sorry" that he is still "a punching ball" and that he has become tainted in the eyes of humanity.

He also added that he thought he had convinced the Fifa ethics tribunal that the payment from Fifa to Platini was legitimate.

He plans to appeal, first to Fifa, then Cas. He may also take legal action under Swiss law if needed.