This file photo shows UEFA President Michel Platini giving a press conference prior to the 65th FIFA Congress.
DPA
Nyon, Switzerland
Michel Platini has the support of all 54 UEFA members although the president of Europe’s football body is suspended in connection with receiving a “disloyal payment” from FIFA boss Joseph Blatter, UEFA said after emergency meetings yesterday.
The executive committee and the member federations were informed by Platini’s lawyer and after discussions, which included a plan B, agreed on a joint statement in support of the 60-year-old Frenchman.
“We support Michel Platini’s right to a due process and a fair trial and to the opportunity to clear his name,” said the statement first read out by general secretary Gianni Infantino and them posted on the UEFA website.
“We strongly call on all instances involved in the current process: FIFA’s Ethics Committee, FIFA’s Appeal Committee and, ultimately, the Court of Arbitration for Sport to work very rapidly to ensure that there is a final decision on the merits of the case by, at the latest, mid-November 2015.”
Platini was not present at the meetings owing to the suspension.
Swiss authorities have launched a criminal probe against Blatter which includes a payment of 2 million Swiss francs (2.09 million dollars) to Platini in 2011 for work done for FIFA between 2009 and 2012. There is reportedly no written contract and Platini is said have explained the delay with FIFA’s financial situation at the time.
The FIFA ethics committee suspended Blatter and Platini last week, against both are appealing as they protest their innocence. The case could also go before the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the highest sports authority, if the ban is upheld by the FIFA appeals committee.
Platini is set to run for the FIFA presidency on February 26 for which the application deadline is October 26, followed by an integrity check. Platini submitted his candidacy before the suspension and UEFA has urged a quick final verdict to have clarity.
Infantino said UEFA agreed that the FIFA congress should not be postponed.
“It is important FIFA has a new president who is legitimately elected rather sooner than later to turn the page and change the image of FIFA,” he told a news conference.
The FIFA executive meets on Tuesday (October 19) under acting president Issa Hayatou and the congress is expected to be on the agenda. Infantino said that the FIFA Exco may also talk about a possible new candidate in case of a worst-case scenario for Platini.
“Whatever happens until October 26 will be discussed by the UEFA representatives in the fifa Exco. We will see if someone comes up, it is too early to say this. It was discussed (Thursday) and no decision taken,” he said.
Infantino said he could not go into details what the lawyer told the UEFA executives and members.
“The lawyer expressed the wish of Mr Platini to fight with all instances to clear his name. And Mr Platini got the support for this to happen, to fight to clear his name,” Infantino said.
He said that Platini still receives his (undisclosed) salary because he is only provisionally suspended, and that Spain’s Angel Maria Villar Llona chaired the excutive but is not acting UEFA president.
Infantino also insisted that UEFA’s image has not been tarnished by the affair which came to light as part of various corruption probes into football.
“UEFA is not concerned as an organisation. Everyone agrees its a difficult situation, its not easy for everyone. But as long we have faith in the process and there is a quick final decision to close all the speculation we can turn the page and move to other things and UEFA’s reputation will not be affected by this,” Infantino said.
UEFA backed Blatter at the 2011 FIFA presidential election but then opposed him and supported Prince Ali bin al-Huseein on May 29 when Blatter won a fifth term - before saying four days later he would step down at the extraordinary congress.
