UEFA backs its president Michel Platini

By Fatih Erel

GENEVA

The UEFA Executive Committee on Thursday has decided to stand behind UEFA President Michel Platini in the wake of his 90-day ban by the FIFA Ethics Committee and opted not to appoint an acting president.

"The UEFA Executive Committee saw no need, at this moment in time, to invoke Article 29(5) of the UEFA Statutes, pursuant to which the highest-ranking Vice-President of UEFA may step in to assume the powers and duties of the President in his absence," UEFA said in a statement on Thursday.

"This is because the UEFA Executive Committee is aware that the UEFA President will immediately take all necessary steps to appeal the decision of the FIFA Ethics Committee to clear his name," UEFA said.

Meanwhile, the UEFA executive committee decided to convene an emergency meeting in Nyon, Switzerland, on Oct. 15 with all 54 UEFA member associations.

The committee "expressed its full confidence in UEFA President, Michel Platini, and stands fully behind him".

The FIFA Ethics Committee on Thursday provisionally banned several world football officials including the FIFA president Joseph S. Blatter, the UEFA president and the FIFA vice president Michel Platini for 90 days.

Swiss prosecutors opened criminal proceedings against Blatter on Sept. 25 on suspicion of "criminal mismanagement" as well as on suspicion of "misappropriation of funds”.

Blatter, 79, is suspected of violating his “fiduciary duties” and acting “against the interests of FIFA”.

Blatter is also suspected of making a “disloyal payment” of 2 million Swiss francs ($2 million) to UEFA's Platini in February 2011. This payment, “at the expense of FIFA”, was allegedly for work performed between January 1999 and June 2002.

Swiss police arrested seven FIFA officials, including two vice presidents, on corruption charges in May at the request of U.S. authorities, who later issued indictments against seven other people in the case.

Following claims of corruption, Blatter, who has always denied any wrongdoing, announced his decision to step down on June 2, just after he was re-elected president for a fifth consecutive term. He is due to leave office on Feb. 26.