FIFA president Sepp Blatter appealed against the 90-day ban that forced him out of office, his lawyers confirmed, as world football's sleaze-tainted governing body headed into months of turmoil over how to find a new leader.
Platini also plans to appeal against his 90-day suspension. The Frenchman is a leading candidate in FIFA's presidential election in February, alongside South Korean tycoon Chung Mong-Joon who was banned from football activities for six years in the ethics committee purge.
As the drama intensified, FIFA announced that an extraordinary meeting of its executive committee would meet in Zurich on October 20. Some senior FIFA members had suggested the meeting could discuss postponing the election to replace Blatter — who has already announced he will stand down currently slated for Feb 26.
The row over Blatter's suspension had already taken a fresh twist as FIFA's ethics watchdog rejected the 79-year-old's claims he was not allowed to give evidence before he was banned, saying he was given "all his rights".
Blatter's lawyers confirmed they had filed an official appeal and asked for further hearings with the ethics committee.