SEPP BLATTER ATTEND APPEAL HEARING FEB 16

Blatter will attend an appeal hearing at on Feb 16, at the home of FIFA, and we expect the decision as soon as possible," his advistor Thomas Renggli told Reuters. Blatter's case will initially be dealt with by FIFA's own Appeal Committee. Renggli said that, if he is unsuccessful, he will go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne. Blatter, 79, who has denied wrongdoing, was banned for ethics violations over a 2 million Swiss francs ($1.96 million) payment FIFA made to European soccer boss Michel Platini with Blatter's approval in 2011. Platini, who had been the favourite to succeed Blatter, was also banned for eight years. The election for the new FIFA president will take place in Zurich on Feb.26. A total of 41 individuals and entities, including many former FIFA officials, have been charged with corruption-related offences in the United States as part of the wider scandal.