Bosses get their bans reduced

'Mitigating factors' behind change in suspensions for Blatter and Platini

A FIFA appeal committee on Wednesday reduced bans against Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini from eight years to six, but maintained both men were still guilty of ethics breaches.

The appeal result was announced as UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino and Asian soccer leader Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al Khalifa stepped up their rivalry in the campaign to take over as head of soccer's scandal-tainted world body in a vote on Friday.