Football – FIFA – Michel Platini: “I am like a knight in the Middle Ages before a fortress” – The Équipe.fr

The Swiss newspaper Le Matin and the British newspaper The Telegraph released Thursday morning interview Michel Platini. The UEFA president, suspended from office until January 6, y reiterated his defense against the charges against him, including the conditions for payment of FIFA intervened in 2011.

The origin of the funds received

On the question of the origin of the funds received ( € 1.8 million in compensation for a position as an advisor to Sepp Blatter between 1998 and 2002), and the evocation of a possible “slush fund” , the French claims that he follow procedures set up by FIFA and that “This is the CFO Kattner that conducted the transfer” from “a regular account of FIFA” .

If it is made to notice the lightness with which he apprehends financial matters as he is destined to the presidency of the International Federation, Michel Platini says “the FIFA President does not need to be a financial expert, provided it is well surrounded “. His comments echo those made in Le Monde October 19th: “ Ask my wife, I do not look any account and I rarely made efforts to improve. “

” I feel like a knight from the Middle Ages to a fortress. I try to get into it to bring back football, but instead I poured boiling oil on the head “

Sa suspension and his candidacy

Suspended by FIFA’s ethics committee of any football-related activity for three months, Michel Platini opts for an offensive communication: “The charges that we are reproached me based on no tangible fact. [...] As for the other allegations, they are not based on anything, “ He added:. ” About me, there is clearly a disproportion between the facts that I am reproached and violence of the temporary suspension strikes me. This suspension allowed me to campaign and fight on equal terms. [...] Today I feel like a medieval knight in front of a fortress. I try to get into it to bring back football, but instead I poured boiling oil on the head. “

He confirmed the candidacy of Gianni Infantino like that of a plane B, in case his own would not be validated. He reiterated on this occasion its desire to compete for the presidency of FIFA in late February 2016 and still claims to be, “in all modesty, most likely to lead world football” .