FIFA corruption investigators will demand an extension to the eight-year bans ordered against world soccer leaders Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini last month, a spokesman said Tuesday.

    The anti-corruption investigators had originally sought a life ban against the two men over a two-million-Swiss-franc (US$2 million) payment that Blatter authorized for Platini.

    “The investigatory chamber intends to appeal against the decision for Blatter and Platini at the FIFA appeal committee,” said FIFA ethics committee spokesman Andreas Bantel.

    The case is the latest in an escalating series of scandals since Swiss investigators detained several FIFA officials in Zurich on May 29.

    Blatter and Platini were suspended from all soccer activity for eight years by a FIFA tribunal Dec. 21. The ethics judges rejected corruption charges but said the pair had abused their positions.

    Platini announced last week that he was withdrawing from the FIFA race to concentrate on clearing his name.(SD-Agencies)