Michel Platini resigns as UEFA president

Michael Platini

Michael Platini has resigned from his post as UEFA president after his ban from football for 6 years was reduced to four years by the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS).

CAS effectively removed Platini from world football by ensuring his ban runs beyond his current Uefa mandate, which expires in March 2019. The court said in a statement that the ban “corresponds to the duration of a presidential term”.

“I take note of today’s decision from Cas but I see it as a profound injustice,” Platini said in a statement. “This decision inflicts a suspension on me that, as luck would have it, stops me from contesting the next election for the FIFA presidency.''

“As agreed with the national associations, I am resigning from my duties as Uefa president to pursue my battle in front of the Swiss courts to prove my innocence in this case. “Life is always full of surprises: I am henceforth available to experience more of them.”

In a media statement made this morning, CAS said;

''The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has rendered its decision in the arbitration procedure between Michel Platini and the Fédération Internationale de Football Association(FIFA). The suspension of Mr. Platini has been lowered from 6 to 4 years and the CHF 80’000 fine to CHF 60'000.'' 

''The Panel, however, was not convinced by the legitimacy of the CHF 2,000,000 payment, which was only recognized by Mr. Platini and Mr. Blatter, and which occurred more than 8 years after the end of his work relations, was not based on any document established at the time of the contractual relations and did not correlate with the alleged unpaid part of his salary (CHF 700’000 x 4 = CHF 2’800’000). Moreover, the Panel took note that Mr. Platini benefitted from the extension of a pension plan to which he was not entitled.''

Read more here: http://www.tas-cas.org/