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Blatter says he will accept verdict as CAS appeal begins

Xinhua, August 25, 2016 Adjust font size:

Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter began his final appeal Thursday against his six-year ban from football, pledging to accept the verdict of the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Blatter entered the world's top sports court for a closed-door hearing which is expected to last one day, seeking to overturn a suspension imposed by FIFA over ethics violations.

"I will accept the verdict," Blatter told journalists outside the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

"I do hope it will be positive for me, but we are footballers. We learn to win but also we learn to lose," he added.

Blatter's downfall first emerged in September of last year, when Swiss prosecutors said they were investigating Blatter over a suspect two million Swiss franc payment ($2 million, 1.8 million euros) he authorised in 2011 to Michel Platini, the former head of European football, who was also sanctioned by FIFA over the funds.

Talking about the Platini payment, Blatter insisted that FIFA owed money to the ex-Juventus player. Platini had been hired by FIFA as a consultant from 1999 to 2002 and had not received full compensation.

"I am sure, at the end that the panel will understand that the payment made to Platini was really a debt we had with him," Blatter said,"This is a principle: if you have debts you pay them." Endit