The UEFA President is fighting for his future after being suspended by FIFA’s ethics committee over a £1.35m payment from Sepp Blatter that Swiss prosecutors have described as “disloyal”. “The election date of February 26 was set three months ago with a clear procedure that meets all of FIFA’s statutory requirements”. Why should he have money paid at that moment, at that time of the year, and then not reporting it to the UEFA executive?
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Platini has a lower status in the Swiss criminal investigation, being treated as somewhere between a witness and an accused person.
Verbal agreements for such large amounts would not be sanctioned in the corporate world in most countries. Zen Ruffinen, from Switzerland, was sacked by Blatter in 2002 after criticising FIFA’s governance.
“I’m a fighter”, Blatter informed Schweizer am Sonntag. And could it have weakened Platini’s determination to take on Blatter, knowing 2 million Swiss francs was potentially at stake? He has not explained the length of the delay or the timing of the payment however.
Leo Windtner, head of the Austrian federation, said UEFA’s crisis management had to react quickly and make sure “that Europe accomplishes something with October. 26 in mind”.
If Mr Platini is ruled ineligible for the election, Sheikh Salman al Sabah of Bahrain, president of the Asian Football Confederation, is expected to stand.
Officials from several of the associations have all said they would not be prepared to continue to support Platini in his ambitions of running for the FIFA presidency if no written agreement exists.
He said: “This case is like a backpack that could force him to his knees”.
Platini’s lawyers will address the executive committee, which will be chaired by the Spanish FA president, Ángel María Villar Llona, in Platini’s absence, before leaving the room while the affair is discussed.
But first, UEFA must decide its course of action, and that won’t be known until general secretary Gianni Infantino holds a press conference in Nyon at 6pm (1600 GMT)on Thursday following the crisis meeting. His support for Platini would end if no written contract exists – which it does not.
Platini’s 90-day suspension certainly puts him at a disadvantage with the view to his campaigning possibilities as it will be the new year before he is allowed to resume football-related activities. Makudi has been charged with unspecified ethics code breaches.
The code in place in 2011 says that sanctions can follow acts being “committed deliberately or negligently”.
Appeals have been made by Blatter, Platini and Chung agains their suspensions or exclusions.
Fifa’s ethics committee handed down yet another ban on Wednesday. If Eckert does not believe them, the payment could have been deemed corrupt and result in life bans.
Ali was beaten by Blatter in a presidential election in May.
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Without Platini in the field, Ali’s chances of winning could rise significantly.
