All 54 European soccer nations support Platini as president during suspension
All 54 European soccer nations decided Thursday to back UEFA president Michel Platini.
Platini and FIFA president Sepp Blatter were suspended for 90 days last week by the FIFA ethics committee following an investigation into a payment from soccer’s governing body. While Blatter has been replaced at FIFA with Issa Hayatou becoming acting president, Platini retains the UEFA presidency and salary despite officially being banned from stepping into the governing body’s headquarters.
“Currently the president of UEFA is only suspended by FIFA,” UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino said. “For the time being he does receive his salary as he does continue being UEFA president.”
Platini received about $2 million from FIFA in 2011 which, he says, was unpaid additional salary from his job as Blatter’s adviser between 1998 and 2002. Platini’s lawyer took questions at Thursday’s meeting of all 54 UEFA members and the executive committee who decided to unanimously continue supporting its leader of eight years, Infantino said.
“The lawyer expressed the wish of Mr. Platini to fight with all instances to clear his name,” Infantino said. “And Mr. Platini got the support of the executive committee for this to happen — to fight to clear his name.”
Austrian federation president Leo Windtner said UEFA members support Platini’s “right to a due process and a fair trial and for the opportunity to clear his name” which they want to happen by mid-November.
Platini is appealing against the interim suspension, pending a full verdict by FIFA’s ethics judge, and he has the further option of going to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Platini still hopes to stand in the FIFA presidential election in February.