Former Fifa president Sepp Blatter vowed to accept his fate as he entered the world’s top sport court on Thursday to mount his final appeal against his six-year ban from football.
“I will accept the verdict,” Blatter, 80, said outside the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) in Lausanne, Switzerland.
“I do hope it will be positive for me, but we are footballers. We learn to win but also we learn to lose.”
The case that triggered Blatter’s downfall first emerged in September of last year, when Swiss prosecutors said they were investigating Blatter over a suspect two million Swiss franc payment (Dh7.6m) he authorised in 2011 to his one-time heir apparent, Michel Platini.
He was first provisionally suspended by Fifa’s ethics committee.
A full investigation and trial by Fifa’s in-house court found Blatter and Platini both guilty of ethics violations. They were banned from football for eight years in December.
A Fifa appeals committee cut those penalties to six years in February.
Blatter’s hopes for redemption at Cas are likely hampered by Platini’s failed appeal at the Lausanne-based court.
In a May ruling, Cas judges said they were “not convinced” that the $2m payment was legitimate.
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Launched: September 2019
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Pablo Zabaleta, Bacary Sagna, Gael Clichy, Willy Caballero and Jesus Navas (all released)
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British group
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Foals
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British Female
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Freya Ridings
FKA Twigs
Charli xcx
Mahalia
British male
Harry Styles
Lewis Capaldi
Dave
Michael Kiwanuka
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Best new artist
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Lewis Capaldi
Dave
Mabel
Sam Fender
Best song
Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber - I Don’t Care
Mabel - Don’t Call Me Up
Calvin Harrison and Rag’n’Bone Man - Giant
Dave - Location
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AJ Tracey - Ladbroke Grove
Lewis Capaldi - Someone you Loved
Tom Walker - Just You and I
Sam Smith and Normani - Dancing with a Stranger
Stormzy - Vossi Bop
International female
Ariana Grande
Billie Eilish
Camila Cabello
Lana Del Rey
Lizzo
International male
Bruce Springsteen
Burna Boy
Tyler, The Creator
Dermot Kennedy
Post Malone
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Michael Kiwanuka - Kiwanuka
Lewis Capaldi - Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent
Dave - Psychodrama
Harry Styles - Fine Line
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