The Swiss attorney general has launched criminal proceedings against Blatter into what was described as a “disloyal payment” to Platini, and both men have been provisionally banned for 90 days by FIFA’s ethics committee pending a disciplinary hearing – though both have formally appealed against the ban to FIFA’s appeals committee – which is confident of making a decision within the three months.
Advertisement
Johansson said the existence of the 2million Swiss franc payment was not declared by Blatter to FIFA’s executive committee in 1999, when it was said to have been agreed, and nor was it declared to UEFA’s executive committee when Platini received the money 12 years later.
UEFA president Michel Platini was also banned for 90 days and the South Korean former Federation Internationale de Football Association vice-president Chung Mong Joon was suspended for six years.
Asked if he thought Mr Platini, who denies any wrongdoing, would be cleared, he said: “I hope so”. Platini had been favourite to succeed the Swiss before his suspension last week, but the former French captain has yet to pass the integrity check.
A few members, including the English FA, want further clarification from Mr Platini about the circumstances in which the payment from Mr Blatter was made.
If the election is maintained for February 26, candidates, who need the support of five member associations, have until October 26 to register.
Prince Ali said delaying the scheduled polls would only “create further instability” amid a crisis that is “deepening”.
“Members of the FIFA Executive Committee should remember that Football Associations, players, coaches and fans the world over are watching”, he continued.
“The Ethics Committee must now be allowed to do its work in a robust and timely fashion”, said the prince who left the executive committee in May when he his challenge to Blatter’s reelection failed.
When Fifa’s executive committee meets next week for its own crisis talks, one of the items under discussion is expected to be whether to postpone the presidential election.
“The Executive Committee should not interfere with an ongoing process that was put in place by the ad hoc electoral committee”.
Advertisement
Uefa’s members are split going into Thursday’s Nyon meeting over the future of Michel Platini, with a few already considering a plan B that would involve backing Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa, the head of the Asian Football Confederation, to be the next Fifa president. Now it seems highly unlikely Platini will ever lead world soccer, his reputation as a title-winning playmaker for France and Juventus threatening to be wrecked by the case. “The rules should not be changed after the game has started”, Ali added.
