UEFA Chief Platini Meets With French Lawmakers On Football Finance Measures

UEFA President Michel Platini met with French politicians Tuesday, "as they seek to introduce controls that may curb" Qatari-owned Paris St. Germain's record spending on players, according to Tariq Panja of BLOOMBERG. Platini was invited by parliamentarians at France's National Assembly "to explain how his organization crafted its own rules that seek to punish teams playing in elite competitions if they breach cost-control regulations." Losses at European teams have grown from €700M in '08 to €1.7B in '11. Parliamentarians in France "have been raising concerns" about football finances since a unit of the state-controlled Qatar Investment Authority took control of PSG in '11. A PSG spokesperson did not "immediately respond to a call seeking comment" (BLOOMBERG, 1/16).