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UEFA President Michel Platini Appeals 90-Day Ban From Soccer-Related Activities

UEFA President Michel Platini on Saturday filed an appeal against his 90-day ban from all national and international soccer-related activities, while the French Football Federation said that it "will back him" should he go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, according to Teddy Cutler of the LONDON TIMES. Platini "has formally appealed the suspension," which like outgoing FIFA President Sepp Blatter's, lasts for 90 days "with an option to extend for another 45." Platini "still intends to run as a candidate in the presidential election." CONMEBOL also offered its "full support to Platini" in a "strongly-worded statement" (LONDON TIMES, 10/11). The AP's Rob Harris noted Platini's ban expires before the scheduled election date, but he "is unlikely to pass FIFA integrity checks after the Oct. 26 deadline for the submission of candidacies." Although FIFA "quickly named an acting president" -- African Football President Issa Hayatou -- as required by its statutes, UEFA has not elevated its senior VP, Spanish Football Federation President Angel Maria Villar, "to temporarily fill Platini's job" (AP, 10/10). REUTERS' Simon Evans cited two sources as saying that FIFA is "discussing delaying the election for its next president." It is a move that could give Platini "more time to appeal against his ban" and then stand to replace Blatter. The development came as FIFA said that its exec committee "would hold a crisis meeting on Oct. 20" at its Zurich HQ. It "did not say what would be discussed" (REUTERS, 10/9).

NOT LIKE THE OTHERS: In N.Y., Rebecca Ruiz noted the U.S. "considers FIFA and its confederations victims." In investigations against banks like BNP Paribas and carmakers like GM, the Justice Department "has been criticized for criminally charging corporations but not the people behind them." The FIFA case "is an unlikely reversal of that," as the U.S. "is prosecuting two generations of officials for widespread corruption in organizations it has offered to help rehabilitate." The indictment stated of the 14 men charged, "The defendants corrupted the enterprise." In framing organized soccer "as the victim, overtaken by criminals and hurt by decades of bribery and kickback schemes," the U.S. has "perhaps sought to soften the sting of its international crackdown, which some have called an overreach of power." It has "positioned itself as more a savior of soccer than a punitive policeman -- and it has given FIFA a narrative it is eager to advance amid its disgrace." N.Y.-based attorney Antonia Apps said, "The confederations and FIFA are treated as victims rather than perpetrators. The indictment says these organizations had good goals and good purposes, and they were co-opted" (N.Y. TIMES, 10/10).

HEEEEERE'S JOHNNY! Last night’s edition of HBO’s “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver” once again featured host John Oliver taking aim at FIFA. He noted Blatter had been suspended for 90 days, saying, "I'm sorry, you only suspended him 90 days? That is ludicrously short. If he put a Greek yogurt in the breakroom fridge the day he was suspended, it could conceivably still be edible when he gets back.” But even this “minor suspension was too much for Sepp Blatter, who has actually called for an investigation into the FIFA Ethics Committee investigation, which is basically standing up in the middle of an intervention and going, ‘You know what, f--- all of you! You’ve got a drinking problem! You've got drinking problems! I'm fine! How do you like them apples!?’" Oliver: "At this point, I think it's becoming clear if FIFA wants to find Blatter's successor within its own ranks, it’ll be like finding a Porta Potty at a musical festival. None of them are likely to be clean, so the best you're hoping for is to find the one that’s the least covered in shit” (“Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,” HBO, 10/11).

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