Platini calls on FIFA to end his ban, says he’ll face no charges

FormerUEFA president Michel Platini called on FIFA to lift his ban over a1.8-million-euro payment after Swiss prosecutors said yesterday they hadfound no evidence so far to bring charges against him.Platini’s lawyer Vincent Solari claimed the former head of European football was now in the clear.“There are no charges, he will not be prosecuted,” Solari told AFP.Platini said he had been vindicated after having “a lot thrown at me”, and called on FIFA to now end his exile from football.“I hope that FIFA will have the courage and the decency to lift mysuspension,” the former France midfielder said in a telephone interviewwith AFP.In 2015, FIFA suspended Platini from all football-related activities foreight years, later reduced on appeal to four years, following a $2mnpayment he received from the world body in 2011.The payment, for work done a decade earlier, was authorised by FIFA’sthen president, Sepp Blatter, and was made at a time when Blatter wasseeking re-election as president. Both men have always deniedwrongdoing.Blatter is also now banned following the scandal that rocked world football.Swiss prosecutors have been investigating the payment as part of a wider probe into Blatter’s 17-year presidency of FIFA.The Swiss public prosecutor’s office said Saturday that although noevidence had been found “so far” to bring charges against Platini, theinvestigation “is not completely over”.Platini could still be required to appear before a judge if “newevidence” is found in the case, a spokesman for the prosecutor’s officesaid.FIFA stands firmFIFA dismissed the claims from Platini’s legal team, saying he had beensuspended for breaching its “Code of Ethics”, not because of the Swissprobe.“Mr. Platini was suspended for breaching the FIFA Code of Ethics. Thedecision was upheld by CAS (the Court of Arbitration for Sport), whichconfirmed the charges but reduced the length of the suspension,” a FIFAstatement said.“It has always been very clear to FIFA and CAS that Mr. Platini hadnever been the target of a criminal investigation in Switzerland.”Platini said he would continue his legal battle until he was allowed to return to football.“My legal advisers will take all the necessary measures to ensure the FIFA suspension is lifted,” he said.“It has been very difficult for me... I’ve really had a lot thrown at me.”Platini said he believed the suspension had one aim: “Everything has been done to prevent me becoming FIFA president.”In the wake of Blatter’s removal, Gianni Infantino, an Italian who waspreviously UEFA secretary general under Platini, took over as FIFApresident.