OMNISPORT 

Scandal-embroiled FIFA suffered another heavy blow on Monday when its Independent Ethics Committee handed eight-year bans from all football-related activities to president Sepp Blatter and vice-president Michel Platini.

Here, we take a look at the events that led to the sanctions received by the pair:

May 27: Swiss authorities arrest seven top FIFA officials, including vice-presidents Jeffrey Webb and Eugenio Figueredo, as part of a United States investigation into alleged widespread corruption throughout the organisation.

May 29: Despite the ensuing unrest from the raids, Blatter is re-elected as president for a fifth term after Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein withdraws ahead of the second round of voting.

June 2: However, four days later the Swiss announces his decision to resign, calling for elections to determine his successor – later confirmed for February 26, 2016.

July 29: Platini announces his candidacy to replace the outgoing Blatter in the next elections.

August 7: An internal investigation into the corruption allegations is launched by FIFA.

September 25: Criminal proceedings are opened against Blatter by Swiss prosecutors in regards to an alleged "disloyal payment" made to Platini in 2011, though the pair deny any wrongdoing.

October 8: Blatter and Platini are handed provisional 90-day bans from all football-related activities.

October 9: The Swiss petitions the FIFA Appeals Committee in a bid to have his suspension annulled.

October 10: The UEFA chief follows suit and files his appeal, hoping to salvage his bid for presidency.

October 16: Blatter discloses details of a two million Swiss francs payment to Platini in 2011 for work carried out for FIFA, the reason behind their bans.

October 19: Platini admits a lack of a written contract for the payment in an interview with Le Monde, insisting it was instead "a gentleman's agreement".

October 28: In comments to Russian news agency TASS, Blatter blames the Frenchman for the scandal, claiming a "personal attack" and UEFA-led changes in the 2022 World Cup bidding process was at the root of the corruption allegations.

November 11: Outgoing president Blatter is admitted to hospital following stress-related issues.

November 12: The five candidates for February's presidential elections are confirmed by FIFA, with Platini not included.

November 18: Blatter and Platini's bans are upheld by the the FIFA Appeals Committee. The former's lawyer claims there is no evidence of "improper motivation" for the payment made to the Frenchman.

November 20: Platini files an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in a bid to overturn the decision so he can begin campaigning in the presidential race.

November 23: The adjudicatory chamber of the Independent Ethics Committee opens formal proceedings against the pair.

December 07: A BBC investigation links Blatter to a $100million bribery scandal, with sports marketing company ISL allegedly paying former FIFA officials Ricardo Teixeira and Joao Havelange for television and marketing rights in 1990s, asserting the Swiss had knowledge of the situation.

December 15: The 78-year-old issues an open letter likening the Ethics Committee proceedings against him to "the Inquisition".

December 17: Blatter's lawyer states his belief the suspension should be lifted following a hearing with the Ethics Committee.

December 21: FIFA's Ethics Committee announces eight-year bans from all football-related activities for Blatter and Platini. The outgoing president confirms his decision to launch an appeal with FIFA Committee and CAS.