The Fifa Appeals Committee has shaved two years off the punishment of both its suspended boss and former UEFA head Michel Platini.
The decision was announced Wednesday after the panel held hearings all throughout the past week, AFP reports.
After taking a vote on the issue, member federations voted to bring down the length of the ban for the two top football diplomats.
The two were suspended last year by the world organising body, due to a payment Blatter made to Platini in 2001. The pair have denied any wrongdoing, claiming the payment was for a service Platini rendered to Blatter in the past.
They were banned from all football activities for eight years in December 2015.
A statement released at the time said…
“The proceedings against Mr Blatter primarily related to a payment of CHF 2,000,000 (£1.34m) transferred in February 2011 from FIFA to Mr Platini.
“Mr Blatter, in his position as President of FIFA, authorised the payment to Mr Platini which had no legal basis in the written agreement signed between both officials on 25 August 1999.
“Neither in his written statement nor in his personal hearing was Mr Blatter able to demonstrate another legal basis for this payment. His assertion of an oral agreement was determined as not convincing and was rejected by the chamber.”