'Hurt' Michel Platini could quit UEFA even if cleared by CAS
Wednesday 2 March 2016 11:44, UK
Michel Platini could quit UEFA even if he is cleared of wrongdoing by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Sky Sports News HQ understands.
Platini has lodged an appeal to CAS against the six-year ban from all football activities issued by the FIFA ethics committee.
The Frenchman is hopeful that he will be cleared in time to take part in Euro 2016 as UEFA president. But it is understood that it is unlikely that he would serve out his full term as president.
Platini is so hurt by the fact some European countries have not supported him fully behind the scenes he is prepared to quit even if cleared by CAS.
On February 24 FIFA dismissed appeals from Sepp Blatter and Platini against their bans from all football activity.
However, the pair had their bans reduced from eight years to six years by the FIFA appeal committee. On Wednesday morning CAS confirmed Platini has filed his appeal with them.
The two men were banned in December over a "disloyal payment" of £1.3m between them in 2011 - made without a written FIFA contract - when both claimed they had a verbal agreement for FIFA to pay Platini an additional salary for his work as Blatter's presidential adviser from 1999-2002.
While their appeals were rejected, the committee decided their work in football "should deserve appropriate recognition", and denied an attempt by FIFA ethics prosecutors to have the pair banned for life.
FIFA fined Platini £58,300 and Blatter £36,400. Former FIFA president Blatter has also stated he intends to appeal to CAS.
A FIFA statement read: "Michel Platini has filed an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport against the decision issued by the FIFA Appeal Committee on 24 February 2016.
"In appealing to the CAS, Michel Platini seeks to annul the decisions taken by the Adjudicatory Chamber of the FIFA Ethics Committee and by the FIFA Appeal Committee which lead to him being declared ineligible to take part in football-related activity at national and international level for six years.
"A CAS arbitration procedure is in progress. First, the parties will exchange written submissions and a panel of three arbitrators will be constituted. The panel will then issue directions with respect to the holding of a hearing. Following the hearing, the panel will deliberate and on a later date, it will issue a decision in the form of an Arbitral Award."
