Blatter and Platini were banned from football for eight years.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter and UEFA President Michel Platini have been banned from football activities for an extended period following an investigation by the FIFA Ethics Committee.

Two of the most powerful officials in world football were convicted in a $2 million "dubious" transaction in 2011. This was the money Blatter allegedly gave to Platini without adequate explanation.

The ban took effect immediately, despite both Blatter and Platini maintaining their innocence. Both officials claimed the money was payment to Platini for his work as an advisor to Blatter from 1998 to 2002.

Blatter (right) and Platini were banned from football for eight years. Photo: AFP.

Platini stated that the payment was not recorded in the contract, but both he and Blatter maintained that it was legal under Swiss law.

Blatter and Platini had to testify before the Independent Ethics Committee of FIFA, headed by Judge Hans-Joachim Eckert, last week. As a result, the pair were found guilty of “conflict of interest, misappropriation of funds, and failure to cooperate with the investigation” in a 50-page indictment. Prior to this, Blatter and Platini had already been fined $50,194 and $80,430 respectively.

Blatter had previously announced he would step down as FIFA president after the organization's February 2016 elections. The 79-year-old Swiss businessman had held the position since 1998.

Meanwhile, 60-year-old former French football star Michel Platini was once expected to succeed Blatter. However, since the scandal involving a two million dollar illicit payment was exposed, Platini has lost the trust of UEFA, the organization he led since 2007. On November 11, FIFA removed Platini from the list of candidates for the FIFA presidency.

According to VNE