Sepp Blatter loses appeal against six-year ban by Fifa after football corruption scandal

SEPP BLATTER has lost his appeal against a six-year ban from football and been fined almost £39,000.

The disgraced ex-Fifa boss wanted all ethics charges against him dropped by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

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But the 80-year-old insisted he was unsuccessful in his “difficult” appeal, saying: “The way the case progressed, no other verdict could be expected.

“I have to accept this decision. I have experienced much in my 41 years in Fifa. I mostly learned that you can win in sport, but you can also lose.”

Blatter was banned for approving a £1.3million “disloyal payment” to former Uefa boss Michel Platini in 2011.

The former head of world football from 1998 to 2015 will accept the final decision reached in Switzerland today.

Cas described the payment as an “undue gift” with “no contractual basis”.

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In its written verdict, Cas said Blatter wanted the "annulment of the ban but did not request a reduced penalty".

A three-man panel was "not convinced by the legitimacy" of the money Blatter handed over to Platini, insisting it breached Fifa's code of ethics.

Both men claimed the money was for consultancy work ex-France and Juventus star Platini did between 1998 and 2002 and that a "gentleman's agreement" determined when it would be paid.

However, the Cas refused to budge and said: "In any event, the panel determined that the sanction imposed was not disproportionate."

Blatter was originally banned for eight years by Fifa in December last year.

That was reduced to six years by an appeals panel in February and a further two years by Cas in May.