Sepp Blatter's ban reduced, FIFA election to go ahead as planned

A new FIFA president is set to be named on Friday despite calls for the election to be postponed, while shamed outgoing president Sepp Blatter has had his ban reduced but has lost an appeal for it to be quashed completely.

The Swiss executive had been banned from football for eight years alongside UEFA equivalent Michel Platini, but the pair's punishment has been downgraded to six years.

However, both lost their appeals for the punishments to be lifted completely, and will continue to be barred from all football-related activities for the period of the bans.  

The duo were found culpable in the ongoing financial scandal that has blighted the organization and were subsequently removed from their positions of power.

A FIFA appeal committee reduced the pair's ban due to “the services they had rendered,” but both have been told to stay away from Friday's election in Zurich.

READ MORE: FIFA election: Your guide to the 5 candidates hoping to become president

Candidate Prince Ali bin al-Hussein had asked for the election to be postponed until transparent booths could be installed in the name of fairness. This request has been denied and the vote will proceed as planned tomorrow.

Of the five running candidates, Gianni Infantino and Sheik Salman bin Ibrahim al-Khalifa are the favorites to replace Blatter in the role.

The new man will be charged with restoring FIFA's credibility to the footballing world, although whoever is elected will face a mammoth task to prove that they are a clean break from the previous establishment.