The big news: Blatter fails to clear name

Former Fifa President Sepp Blatter failed to overturn his six-year ban from football after his appeal was turned down by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Blatter was banned over ethics breaches as his 17 years as head of football’s world governing body ended in a corruption scandal in 2015. He was found to have made a £1.3m payment to ex-Uefa boss Michel Platini.

Blatter said “no other verdict could be expected”. He added: “I have to accept this 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.” In its written verdict, CAS said Blatter “requested the annulment of the ban but did not request a reduced penalty”. It added: “In any event, the panel determined that the sanction imposed was not disproportionate.”

Fifa suspended Blatter and former France international Platini for eight years in December, but the bans were reduced to six years by its appeals committee. CAS reduced Platini’s ban to four years after he appealed.

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  1. Middlesbrough beat Hull City 1-0 on Monday. Gaston Ramirez’s header gave Middlesbrough only their second win since August and leave Hull stuck in the Premier League relegation zone. Hull, who have lost eight of their past 10 league games, failed to convert on multiple occasions owing to lack in finishing.
  2. The Football Association has banned Manchester City trio Sergio Aguero, Fernandinho and Nicolas Otamendi are to serve four, three and one-match bans respectively. Aguero is facing four games on the sidelines following his red card against Chelsea on Saturday. 
  3. Southampton have decided to sell defender José Fonte in January if they receive a suitable offer after the Portuguese international turned down an improved contract. Fonte has just 18 months of his current deal and has refused to agree to a new deal. 
  4. Brazilian club Chapecoense have been awarded the Copa Sudamericana by South American football confederation CONMEBOL. Members of the team died in a plane crash en route to the final. Seventy-one people, including 19 players and staff, were killed when they were on the way to Colombia for the first leg. Colombian opponents Atletico Nacional, who asked for Chapecoense to be awarded the trophy, have been given a Fair Play award for their gesture.