Suspended UEFA President Michel Platini's lawyers said on Wednesday that he will not attend Friday's FIFA ethics committee hearing "in protest at what he condemns as a political process designed to prevent him running to lead the world governing body," according to Brian Homewood of REUTERS. Platini was provisionally suspended for 90 days on Oct. 8, alongside outgoing FIFA President Sepp Blatter, "over a suspicious payment from FIFA to Platini, deepening a corruption scandal that has engulfed football's ruling body." The ethics panel is "set to rule on their cases, and could impose much longer bans than the provisional suspensions if it finds the men guilty of violations." Blatter is "due to appear on Thursday." Both men "have denied any wrongdoing." Platini's lawyers objected to comments in French newspaper L'Équipe by ethics committee spokesperson Andreas Bantel that the former France captain would be sidelined for "several years." Platini's lawyers said in a statement, "Michel Platini ... has decided not to attend his hearing at the FIFA ethics committee on Dec. 18, 2015, as the verdict of this ethics committee has been announced in the press last weekend by one of its spokespersons, Mr. Andreas Bantel, in disregard of all fundamental rights, starting with the presumption of innocence." FIFA said that it "noted Platini's decision but his lawyers were still welcome to attend the hearing," which would be handled in "an unbiased manner." FIFA's ethics committee said, "Mr. Platini would miss the opportunity to present his points of view vis-a-vis the adjudicatory chamber in person" (REUTERS, 12/16).
SWISS HELP: REUTERS' Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi reported German prosecutors have asked Switzerland, home country of FIFA, "to help look into a suspicious payment linked to Germany's hosting of the 2006 World Cup, including by sifting through bank data." The "Frankfurt state prosecutor has sought legal assistance" over a €6.7M transfer from the German FA (DFB) to FIFA. At "the heart of the investigation" is the '05 payment from the DFB that Der Spiegel magazine alleged was a return of a loan from then-adidas CEO Robert-Louis Dreyfus "to help buy votes for Germany's successful World Cup bid" in '00 at a FIFA ballot (REUTERS, 12/16).
NOT GUILTY: The AP reported former FIFA VP Juan Angel Napout and former Honduras President Rafael Callejas "pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to charges stemming from the sprawling investigation of bribes and kickbacks involving football's governing body." Napout, who has resigned as president of CONMEBOL, "pleaded not guilty to racketeering, conspiracy and wire fraud and was released" on a $20M bond after being extradited from Switzerland. Callejas "also pleaded not guilty to bribery charges through his lawyer" (AP, 12/15). In a separate piece, the AP reported FIFA bribery case suspect Eduardo Li "has agreed to be extradited" to the U.S. after more than six months in jail (AP, 12/15).
POP QUIZ: In a separate piece, the AP reported FIFA's presidential candidates "will be questioned by European lawmakers at a campaign meeting." The NewFIFANow pressure group said that three of the five candidates -- Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, Jérôme Champagne and Tokyo Sexwale -- "are confirmed to attend on Jan. 27 in Brussels." A fourth candidate, Gianni Infantino, is "also expected at the forum co-organized by the European Parliament Sports Intergroup" (AP, 12/16).
