FIFA prosecutors to appeal for tougher Blatter, Platini bans
ZURICH --
FIFA ethics prosecutors will appeal to increase the 8-year bans for Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini, arguing they are too lenient.
The counter-challenge revives the prospect of life bans. Blatter and Platini have said they will also appeal.
The ethics committee's investigatory chamber says it ''intends to appeal'' the sanctions imposed last month by four FIFA ethics judges.
FIFA's appeals committee has previously imposed a life ban after judge Joachim Eckert decided on an 8-year sanction. In 2013, then-FIFA executive committee member Vernon Manilal Fernando of Sri Lanka was expelled for bribery after then-prosecutor Michael Garcia appealed.
Blatter and Platini were banned for accepting or receiving gifts and conflicts of interest.
They deny wrongdoing over Blatter approving a $2 million payment from FIFA to Platini in 2011 as backdated salary.
