Cases against Blatter, Platini under microscope

FIFA's ethics committee on Monday opened a case against world soccer's suspended president Sepp Blatter and his former lieutenant, Michel Platini, with a verdict in the corruption allegations surrounding both men due next month.

The panel of judges, known as the adjudicatory chamber, received the final report from the ethics committee's investigative branch on Saturday, which called for sanctions against both men.

A guilty verdict would almost certainly crush UEFA president Platini's hopes of succeeding Blatter at the top of the sport's global governing body.