Friday 8 January 2016 06:20, UK
Michel Platini is giving up his bid to become the next FIFA president.
Platini has said he remains determined to overturn the eight-year ban he was handed by FIFA's ethics committee last month, but that the deadline for the February 26 election is too short and renders his candidacy impossible.
The former UEFA president's bid to succeed Sepp Blatter and take football's top job had been put on hold because of a payment he received from his former mentor back in 2011.
Blatter and Platini were banned for eight years last month for conflict of interest in a £1.35m payment deal that is also the subject of a criminal investigation in Switzerland.
A defiant Platini said: "I'm withdrawing from the race for FIFA presidency. The timing is not good for me. I don't have the means to fight on equal terms with the other candidates. I have not been given the chance to play the game. Bye bye FIFA, bye bye FIFA presidency.
"I've spent more time in hearing rooms than on football pitches speaking about 4-3-3 or 4-4-2 or football news. I'm taking this philosophically, let's wait and see what happens. But injustice is revolting me and I'm trying to fight it.
"I have nothing to reproach myself with. I think they are making me pay for being UEFA president, I think the Zurich administration does not wish someone from UEFA to head FIFA. Because we are beautiful, we are big, we are rich, and we are the strongest."
Platini said he remains a strong supporter of Blatter, adding: "He is a great personality. He has done many beautiful things in football. He also did bad things, certainly. I've supported him, I worked with him. I sincerely wish him to be at FIFA's congress [in February] to bid goodbye to FIFA."
His exit from the race leaves general secretary Gianni Infantino as UEFA's entrant in the race to be president of FIFA, and he paid tribute to Platini after the decision was made public.
Infantino said: "I fully respect and understand Michel Platini's decision to withdraw his candidacy for the FIFA presidential election in order to concentrate fully on the ongoing legal procedures. I wish him all the best in his efforts to clear his name as soon as possible and I re-iterate my support for his right to a due process.
"I was honoured when UEFA's Executive Committee decided to support my candidature for FIFA President last October. Since then I have been further gratified and encouraged by the support I have received from the many football people I met all over the world during my campaign.
"I am conscious of my responsibility to them and to all of those who love our game. I look forward to building together with them the FIFA that they want to see, a FIFA with football at its heart."
