SEPP Blatter has lost his appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport against a six-year ban by FIFA amid corruption allegations.

Blatter said in a statement overnight it was “difficult” to accept but “the way the case progressed, no other verdict could be expected”.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter looking on as fake dollar notes fly around him, thrown by a British comedian during a press conference. Picture: AFP/Fabrice Coffrini Source: AFP

The former FIFA president, who was banned for approving a $US2 million ($2.6 million) payment to Michel Platini in 2011, said he would accept the decision. “I have experienced much in my 41 years in FIFA. I mostly learned that you can win in sport, but you can also lose,” Blatter said.

“Nevertheless I look back with gratitude to all the years, in which I was able to realise my ideals for football and serve FIFA.”

The verdict ends Blatter’s hopes of becoming honorary president of the soccer body he left in disgrace.

Blatter could have appealed against the CAS ruling to Switzerland’s supreme court, which can annul verdicts if legal processes are abused. Still, his legal problems are far from over.

Blatter faces a separate FIFA ethics investigation into suspected bribery linked to multimillion-dollar bonuses in top executives’ contracts. Swiss prosecutors also opened criminal proceedings against Blatter for the Platini payment, and a sale of World Cup television rights.

Blatter denies any wrongdoing.

Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS TAS) Secretary-general Matthieu Reeb reads the sentence of the court on an appeal of former FIFA president Sepp Blatter. Picture: AFP/Fabrice Coffini Source: AFP

Blatter said it was “incomprehensible” his claim of having a verbal agreement in 1998 was not accepted “in spite of my testimony to the contrary and the testimony given by other witnesses”.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport was judging whether Blatter was guilty of unethically offering a cash gift and conflict of interest with Platini, who was a FIFA vice-president in 2011.

Blatter and Platini both said the $US2 million ($2.6 million) was uncontracted salary based on a verbal agreement more than a decade earlier.’ From 1999 to 2002, the former France great was the newly elected Blatter’s presidential adviser.

Sepp Blatter called the ban “incomprehensible”. Picture: AFP/Fabrice Coffrini Source: AFP

However, their explanation of a salary deal was doubted by FIFA ethics judges, and by the three-member CAS panel.

The FIFA ethics committee investigated after the payment emerged in September 2015 during a wider Swiss federal probe of alleged corruption linked to FIFA. Blatter and Platini — whose FIFA presidential bid was stalled, then ended, by the case — were banned from soccer duty for eight years in December. The FIFA appeal committee cut two years from both men’s bans as “appropriate recognition” for their long service.

After a separate CAS appeal hearing, Platini’s ban was reduced in May to four years, ensuring he lost the UEFA presidency.

When Blatter’s case went to CAS in August, Platini testified on his behalf during a 14-hour hearing.