The head of the lawyer's practice defending suspended UEFA President Michel Platini "is confident that his client will be cleared in time to be reinstated as UEFA president before Euro 2016." Platini is challenging his suspension at the Court of Arbitration for Sport and Yves Wehrli said that he expects Friday's hearing to result in a decision that would "completely clear" his client. Wehrli: "It's the first time that we're going in front of an independent jurisdiction made up of eminent legal experts. Until now, we were confronted by the internal systems of FIFA" (ESPN, 4/27).
FOOTBALL BRIEFS ...
The Nigerian and Spanish "elite leagues have entered into a long term relationship to exchange ideas and experiences with each other." The Nigeria Professional Football League sealed a five-year memorandum of understanding with La Liga (GOAL, 4/27).
Indonesian FA (PSSI) Reform Committee Chair Agum Gumelar met with FIFA President Gianni Infantino to request the lifting of the national association's suspension, which was imposed last year. The Indonesian national football team "is barred from all international competitions as FIFA took umbrage at the government's attempts to meddle in the PSSI's affairs." Indonesia could not take part in the qualifications for the 2018 World Cup and 2019 Asian Cup because of the suspension (JAKARTA GLOBE, 4/26).
