Skip to main content

CAS upholds Platini’s FIFA suspension, reduces term

Michel Platini: au revoir from UEFA

Michel Platini: au revoir from UEFA

Michel Platini, the suspended European soccer boss will resign as head of governing body UEFA in a matter of days, after losing a top level appeal against a FIFA ban for ethics violations.

One of the finest players of his generation who went on to become a powerful sporting official, Frenchman Platini was suspended after his dealings with fallen world soccer chief Sepp Blatter dragged him into the scandal which engulfed governing body FIFA.

Sport’s highest tribunal, The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), upheld Platini’s suspension on Monday, although it reduced the term from six years to four. Platini however said he would continue his fight to clear his name.

“The CAS Panel was of the opinion that a severe sanction could be justified in view of the superior functions carried out by Mr. Platini (FIFA Vice-President and UEFA President), the absence of any repentance and the impact that this matter has had on FIFA’s reputation,” the CAS statement said.

The ruling means that European soccer body UEFA, which has not replaced Platini since he was initially banned in October, will have to elect a new president.

Platini, though, pledged to continue his campaign to overturn his ban. His only remaining recourse is to appeal to the Swiss federal court, but this can only overturn the verdict if it finds procedural irregularities.

“I see this (decision) as a profound injustice… As agreed with the national associations I am resigning from my functions as President of UEFA in order to pursue my fight with the Swiss courts to prove my integrity in this affair,” Platini said in a statement.

A lawyer for Platini, Yves Wehrli, said the Frenchman would resign from UEFA “in the coming days”.

Platini had hoped to be absolved in time for the European championship which will take place in his native France in June and July.

UEFA’s next executive committee meeting will be in Basel on May 18 where they will look at when to hold a new presidential election to choose Platini’s replacement. So far, nobody has publicly stated that he intends to stand.

The French Football Federation (FFF) said it would respect the CAS decision but said: “The FFF nevertheless salutes the work of Michel Platini and the quality of a man who has always worked in the interest of football, particularly while he was UEFA president”

Platini was banished along with former FIFA president Blatter over a payment of two million Swiss francs ($2.08 million) made to the Frenchman by FIFA with Blatter’s approval in 2011 for work done a decade earlier.

FIFA’s ethics committee said the payment, made at a time when Blatter was seeking re-election, lacked transparency and presented conflicts of interest. Both men denied wrongdoing.

Platini had been favourite to replace Blatter at the time. Instead, his former general secretary at UEFA, Gianni Infantino, entered the FIFA presidential race in his place and won the election in February.

Platini and Blatter were provisionally banned in October while FIFA’s ethics committee investigated the case, then suspended for eight years each in December, reduced to six years by the FIFA appeal committee in February

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Pope not involved in Colombian peace deal- Vatican

Pope Francis Pope Francis has turned down a request to play a role in the peace deal between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebel group. The Vatican in a statement issued on Wednesday in in Vatican City said that an invitation was sent to his Holiness in early August to appoint a representative to participate in the committee that selected the judges for the talks. The statement said that though Pope Francis supported the peace process, he, however, reiterated that he would not get involved in Colombian peace deal. It said that Pope was praying for the enlightenment of the hearts and minds of those who were called to promote the common good of the Colombian nation. A deal was announced last week, putting an end to five decades of internal conflict between government forces and the FARC rebels. The agreement, which needed to be ratified through a referendum in Oct. 2, would entail setting up a special court to grant amnesties or pu...

Houthis Claim Attack on Central Israel in Response to Gaza ‘Massacres’

The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has taken a concerning regional turn as the Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility for an attack on central Israel. The group announced this as part of their escalating response to what they describe as "massacres" in Gaza amid the Israeli military’s operations in the strip. Details of the Attack The Houthis, a Shiite militant group with ties to Iran, declared that they launched missile and drone strikes targeting Israel. While the exact impact of these attacks remains unclear, reports suggest that Israel’s defense systems intercepted several threats over its airspace. This marks a significant escalation as the Houthis widen their involvement in the conflict beyond their typical operations within Yemen and neighboring Saudi Arabia. The Houthis’ Justification In their statement, the Houthis framed the attack as retaliation for Israel’s military actions in Gaza, which they characterized as indiscriminate bombings resultin...

Fall of Assad is a Blow to Russia's Prestige

The potential fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a long-standing ally of Russia, would mark a turning point in Moscow’s global influence, particularly in the Middle East. Steve Rosenberg’s analysis underscores the profound implications for Russia, which has invested heavily—both militarily and politically—in ensuring Assad’s survival over the past decade. This article delves into why Assad’s downfall would strike at the core of Russian prestige and what it could mean for the broader geopolitical landscape. Russia's Strategic Commitment to Syria Since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Russia has been a staunch supporter of Assad's regime. In 2015, Moscow launched a military intervention that proved decisive in stabilizing Assad’s hold on power. This intervention solidified Russia's role as a key power broker in the Middle East and demonstrated its willingness to project military power far beyond its borders. Syria is not just an ally for Russia; it is a...