Why have Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini been hit with eight-year bans by FIFA?

The matter surrounds a payment of £1.3m made to UEFA president Platini in 2011, ostensibly to honour an agreement made in 1998 for work carried out on FIFA’s behalf.

Well, the payment was not cited anywhere in Platini’s contract with FIFA, and both men have said it was a verbal agreement – something which is legal under Swiss law.

The timing of this payment is important. It was made at a time where Blatter was shoring up support to head off a challenge to his presidency from Qatar’s Mohamed Bin Hammam.

There was much speculation that Platini would also eat into Blatter’s vote by standing himself, but two months after the payment was made Platini stood aside and backed Blatter in the presidential vote.

Both men were banned for eight years and also fined. Blatter was punished for authorising a payment to Platini "which had no legal basis in the written agreement signed between both officials on 25 August 1999. Neither in his written statement nor in his personal hearing was Mr Blatter able to demonstrate another legal basis for this payment. His assertion of an oral agreement was determined as not convincing and was rejected by the chamber."

On Platini, the statement said: "His actions did not show commitment to an ethical attitude, failing to respect all applicable laws and regulations as well as FIFA’s regulatory framework to the extent applicable to him and demonstrating an abusive execution of his position as Vice-President of FIFA and member of the FIFA Executive Committee, hence violating article 13 of the FCE (General rules of conduct)."

FIFA’s dirty laundry is being aired in public after the net started to close on the organisation with the FBI and the Swiss authorities conducting parallel enquiries into corrupt activities.

The payment to Platini came to light in September when a statement from the Attorney General of Switzerland announced legal action against Blatter for improperly using FIFA funds. The investigation continues.

The FBI investigation also continues, with multiple arrests of prominent football figures being made.

No. Had they done so, they would have received lifetime bans from football.

FIFA's statement said of Blatter: "The evidence available to the adjudicatory chamber in the present case was not sufficient to establish, to the extent required, that Mr Blatter sought the execution or omission of an official act from Mr Platini within the meaning of article 21 paragraph 1 of the FIFA Code of Ethics (FCE) (Bribery and corruption). However, the conduct of Mr Blatter towards Mr Platini without a legal basis constituted a breach of article 20 paragraph 1 of the FCE (Offering and accepting gifts and other benefits). Furthermore, Mr Blatter found himself in a situation of conflict of interest, despite which he continued to perform his related duties, failing to disclose said situation and the existence of personal interests linked to his prospective activities, thus violating article 19 paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of the FCE (Conflicts of interest)."

On Platini: "The evidence available to the adjudicatory chamber in the present case was not sufficient to establish, to the extent required, that Mr Platini obtained the payment for the execution or omission of an official act within the meaning of article 21 paragraph 1 of the FCE (Bribery and corruption). Nevertheless, the conduct of Mr Platini without a legal basis constituted a breach of article 20 paragraph 1 of the FCE (Offering and accepting gifts and other benefits). Furthermore, Mr Platini found himself in a situation of conflict of interest, despite which he continued to perform his related duties, failing to disclose said situation and the existence of personal interests linked to his prospective activities in violation of article 19 paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of the FCE (Conflicts of interest)."

No. Both men are expected to appeal the punishment at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The fight is not over yet, but both figures have surely been mortally wounded.