Michel Platini to appeal eight-year ban

UEFA chief Michel Platini has confirmed that he will launch an appeal against the eight-year suspension that he was handed by the FIFA ethics committee earlier today.

The former France international, 60, received the punishment along with his FIFA counterpart Sepp Blatter in relation to a £1.3m payment between the pair in 2011.

Despite having admitted that his ban has come as "no surprise", Platini stressed that he intends to "fight" the verdict.

"The decision is no surprise to me: the procedure initiated against me by FIFA's ethics committee is a pure masquerade," he said in a statement.

"It has been rigged to tarnish my name by bodies I know well and who for me are bereft of all credibility or legitimacy. I will fight this to the end."

Platini had hoped to stand for the FIFA presidency in February, but his campaign now appears to be over.