ZURICH, Feb 16 — Banned Fifa president Sepp Blatter was at the headquarters of football’s governing body today for a hearing to appeal against his eight-year suspension from the sport.

Blatter, 79, was banned in December along with European football boss Michel Platini over a payment of 2 million Swiss francs (RM8.3 million) made to the Frenchman in 2011 by Fifa with Blatter’s approval for work done a decade earlier.

Fifa’s ethics committee, which imposed the bans on Blatter and Platini, said the payment, made at a time when Blatter was seeking re-election, lacked transparency and presented conflicts of interest. Both men denied wrongdoing.

The case is now being heard by Fifa’s appeal committee.

Sources close to Fifa said that Blatter had arrived at 7.30am local time, evading cameramen and photographers who had expected him to arrive later.

Blatter’s adviser Thomas Renggli told Reuters he expected to get the verdict later this week.

Football’s world ruling body is engulfed by a graft scandal that has led to the indictment of several dozen leading football officials in the United States. Platini’s appeal was heard yesterday. — Reuters