Outgoing FIFA president Sepp Blatter has filed an appeal against his 90-day provisional suspension by FIFA's ethics committee, the New York Times has reported.
Blatter, along with FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke and UEFA president Michel Platini were handed the punishment on Thursday. The trio are currently facing a Swiss criminal investigation.
Blatter's lawyers Lorenz Erni and Richard Cullen said yesterday (Thursday) that their client was looking forward to submitting evidence of not taking part in any wrongdoing.
The American newspaper has claimed it has obtained a copy of the appeal that Blatter has filed against the treatment meted out by the ethics committee.
The report states that the appeal was sent to Hans‑Joachim Eckert, the chairman of the adjudicatory chamber of the ethics committee, by Erni.
The daily has reported that Blatter's legal team has demanded an opportunity to view the case files reviewed by the ethics committee during its proceedings and sought a hearing to argue the case in full.
Klaus Stohlker, Blatter's friend and adviser, confirmed this to the BBC. "He has appealed already to Fifa's appeal committee. He is defending his position and he is sure that he will be found not guilty."
The legal team also felt that the ethics committee's decision was based almost entirely on the Swiss attorney general's ruling last month.
An criminal investigation was opened by the Swiss Attorney General on 25 September against Blatter, after the veteran football administrator was found guilty of making a payment of 2 million Swiss francs from FIFA to Michel Platini in 2011 and also acquiring a Caribbean television rights deal illegally.
