FIFA: four articles of the Code of Ethics cited in case against Joseph Blatter and Michel Platini

Four articles of the FIFA Code of Ethics were cited in justification of the eight-year suspensions imposed on Joseph Blatter, FIFA president, and Michel Platini, UEFA president, the adjudicatory chamber of the FIFA Ethics Committee, on 21/12/2015.

Joseph Blatter and Michel Platini were both found guilty of violating the following four articles (citations in the order given by FIFA):
• Article 20, paragraph 1: Offering and accepting gifts and other benefits
• Article 19, paragraphs 1, 2 and 3: Conflicts of Interest
• Article 15: Loyalty
• Article 13: General Rules of Conduct

Article 20, paragraph 1: Offering and accepting gifts and other benefits

• 1- Persons bound by this Code may only offer or accept gifts or other benefits to and from persons within or outside FIFA, or in conjunction with intermediaries or related parties as defined in this Code, which a) have symbolic or trivial value; b) exclude any influence for the execution or omission of an act that is related to their official activities or falls within their discretion; c) are not contrary to their duties; d) do not create…