FIFA confirms election date amid uncertainty surrounding Platini

Tom Allnutt 08:32 21/10/2015
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Mail
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Out of the running? UEFA chief Michel Platini has been suspended for 90 days.

    FIFA has confirmed its presidential election will go ahead as planned and that Michel Platini cannot stand while his suspension remains in force.

    The body’s executive committee met in Zurich yesterday to clarify uncertainty surrounding the vote on February 26 after president Sepp Blatter and UEFA president

    Platini were handed provisional 90-day bans two weeks ago.

    – VEGA: Former Spurs star taking lessons from football into boardroom
    – #360debate: Is Ronaldo Real’s best player ever?
    – #360Fans: Watch Manchester derby at City Fanzone

    Both men are being investigated over a £1.35 million (Dh7.7m) payment Platini received from Blatter in 2011, which they say related to consultancy work Platini completed nine years earlier.

    Platini has already submitted his candidacy ahead of Monday’s deadline, but the former European footballer of the year will not be allowed to enter the presidential race while he remains suspended.

    A FIFA statement read: “Domenico Scala, in his capacity as chairman of the FIFA ad-hoc electoral committee, provided information to the executive committee regarding the ongoing process for the FIFA presidential election.

    “He explained that candidacies for the FIFA presidency that are submitted in due time and form, but which relate to candidates who are subject to a ban from taking part in any football-related activity, will not be processed by the ad-hoc electoral committee as long as such ban is valid and in force.”

    Platini denies any wrongdoing and is awaiting the verdict of the FIFA appeals committee after challenging his suspension.

    If the Frenchman’s ban were to be lifted before the February election, FIFA has said it would review his candidacy.

    The statement continued: “The chairman also told the executive committee that, should such a ban be lifted or expire before the FIFA presidential election, scheduled for 26 February 2016, the ad-hoc electoral committee would decide, depending on the respective exact point in time, on how to proceed with the candidacy concerned.”

    There had also been suggestions the election could be postponed but the executive committee confirmed this would not be the case.

    The statement read: “FIFA exco reconfirms 26 February 2016 as the date of the extraordinary elective congress in Zurich.”

    In addition to Platini, former FIFA vice-president Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, former Trinidad and Tobago player David Nakhid, and Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman al-Khalifa are expected to stand.

    Recommended