Michel Platini "will resign" as UEFA president after failing to overturn a ban imposed for taking an unauthorized £1.4M payment from FIFA, according to Martyn Ziegler of the LONDON TIMES. The Court of Arbitration for Sport "upheld the decision that Platini was guilty of a conflict of interest but cut his sanction from six to four years." It effectively brings an end to his career in football administration and the 60-year-old Frenchman said that "he will now step down" from the UEFA position he has held since '07. Platini said, "I note today’s decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport but I consider it a profound injustice. ... As agreed with the national associations, I resign as president of UEFA to pursue my fight before the Swiss courts to prove my probity in this case. Life has always kept beautiful surprises for me, now I am free to live them" (LONDON TIMES, 5/9).
'DISLOYAL PAYMENT': In London, Owen Gibson wrote Platini lost his appeal over a "disloyal payment" from former FIFA President Sepp Blatter. The so-called "disloyal payment" was based on a verbal agreement between the two men relating to a period when Platini acted as a special adviser to Blatter between '99 and '02. The payment "was made in addition to the salary Platini was paid during the period." The three-man CAS panel said it was "not convinced of the legitimacy" of the oral deal and found that Platini had obtained an "undue advantage" and there been a conflict of interest that was in breach of two articles of the FIFA ethics code. CAS also criticized FIFA. Although the payment "was known about in 2011, it said it was not referred to its ethics committee until the Swiss prosecutor took action in 2015" (GUARDIAN, 5/9). In N.Y., Sam Borden wrote the court also said that Platini’s demeanor and attitude during the case was a factor, citing "the absence of any repentance and the impact that this matter has had on FIFA’s reputation." The ruling essentially ends Platini’s career as a high-ranking exec in football governance. Platini "was a key leader in bringing the European Championships to his home country of France, and will not be allowed to take an official role in hosting the tournament when it begins near Paris next month" (N.Y. TIMES, 5/9). REUTERS' Brian Homewood wrote the decision means European football "will almost certainly have no figurehead during the European Championship." Platini "pledged to continue his campaign to overturn the 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" (REUTERS, 5/9).
THE ODDS: REUTERS' Shravanth Vijayakumar wrote interim UEFA President Angel Maria Villar and General Secretary Theodore Theodoridis are bookmaker William Hill's favorites at 6-1 to replace Platini as head of UEFA. Michael van Praag and Giancarlo Abete, Presidents of the Dutch and Italian football associations respectively, "are also front-runners at 10-1" with former ManU CEO David Gill an outside chance at 16-1 (REUTERS, 5/9).
FFF REACTION: L’ÉQUIPE reported shortly after CAS gave its decision, the French Football Federation announced that “it respected the verdict.” In a statement, the FFF said, “The FFF would like to commend the work of Michel Platini and the quality of a man who has always worked in the interest of football, especially as the UEFA president.” FFF President Noël Le Graët said, “I am very sad. He doesn’t deserve such a heavy sanction. For me, Michel Platini remains an honest man, who was probably careless, but the sanction seems very hard. It is a decision I have a hard time understanding” (L’ÉQUIPE, 5/9).
