World Football governing body FIFA has banned its president Sepp Blatter and UEFA President Michel Platini for eight years.

The pair have been banned from all football activities .Both Blatter and Platini had been suspended in recent months as investigations took place over a corrupt payment made to Platini.

According to FIFA  a payment of CHF 2,000,000 was transferred in February 2011 from FIFA to Mr Platini. Mr Blatter, in his position as President of FIFA, authorised the payment to Mr Platini which had no legal basis in the written agreement signed between both officials on 25 August 1999 said FIFA.

The verdict was released by the FIFA Ethics committee today in a statement :

 “The adjudicatory chamber of the Ethics Committee chaired by Mr Hans Joachim Eckert has banned Mr Joseph S. Blatter, President of FIFA, for eight years and Mr Michel Platini, Vice-President and member of the Executive Committee of FIFA and President of UEFA, for eight years from all football-related activities (administrative, sports or any other) on a national and international level. The bans come into force immediately.