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“By removing me, I make the choice to dedicate myself to my defense against a folder where we no longer speak of corruption, forgery, where there is nothing “, justified the former captain of the Blues in the daily newspaper The Team . This folder in question is that dependents mounted by the ethics committee of FIFA against the head of the UEFA (UEFA) for a payment of two million Swiss francs (1.8 million euros) he received in February 2011, Joseph Blatter, 79, president of the International Federation since 1998.
On December 21, the ethics committee of FIFA suspended the former playmaker El Tri for eight years, the prosecutor for “ position abuse”, “conflict of interest” and “mismanagement” . That day, he had inflicted the same punishment to Blatter, who announced on June 2 his next abdication. Just re-elected for a fifth term, the Swiss had been carried away by the business litany of corruption that undermine the institution.
Race against the clock
Engaged in a race against the clock desperate Platini knew the timing was playing against him. To hope to validate his candidacy by the Election Commission of the International Federation, it must be cleared by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) before January 26, a month before the vote of the representatives of the 209 national associations that make up the Congress FIFA. An untenable timing for the triple Ballon d’or (1983 to 1985)
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While it has appealed his suspension, his case was first pass into the hands of the Board of Appeals of FIFA. But to grasp, Platini had to wait “ mid-January “, when the motivations of his suspension supplied to it by the ethics committee. Its legal advisors had denounced “ procedural cynicism ” that committee and “ sabotage ” dedicated to “ keep ” the former player of be a candidate.
The package of French did not surprise many people to UEFA. “ This is a wise decision ‘says, relieved, an executive committee member of the powerful European confederation. “ This is understandable since it has absolutely no time to campaigning says Giancarlo Abete Italian, 3 th vice president of the organization . The truth is that he did not even have the opportunity to compete. Now his priority is to defend its integrity. “
Hot favorite
However, on July 29, the head of European football appears, at 60, as the returning major favorite at the announcement of his candidacy. Does not he have then support “at least 140 national federations ” and “ four continental confederations ” according to its entourage? A boulevard opens before the native of Jœuf (Meurthe-et-Moselle), head of the richest confederation since 2007. He had asked his former mentor Blatter to resign May 28, following the arrest of seven FIFA dignitaries by Swiss police on the orders of American justice.
In late August, Platini calls on all of the European press in Monaco for “ present a part of his program and his team campaign . ” Anxious to avoid the mixing of genres, he changed his mind, promising to expose its manifesto “ reformer” early autumn. “ If elected, he will really clean the stables “, then proclaim most of his relatives. Las. On September 25, it is exfiltrated with Blatter in the Zurich police at the end of a meeting of the executive committee of FIFA.
The Crown of Switzerland formalizes the opening of proceedings Criminal and reveals the case of “payment of 2011″. On 8 October, the storm carries Platini and Blatter provisionally suspended for 90 days by the ethics committee of the International Federation.
Cornered, the French uses the communicative crisis Jean-Christophe Alquier and s ‘defers to his lawyer Thibaud Ales and Thomas Clay legal counsel. Their goal: to prove that the payment of February 2011- four months before Blatter’s re-election for a 4 th term – the result of a good oral agreement (legal in Swiss law) between Platini and patriarch. Which would be paid the debt nine years after the end of their collaboration. “Michel’s story remains implausible. No one seems to think it will be bleached. No contract exists. There would be an oral agreement “, then whispers the president of a European Federation.
” Moving in denial “
While the Executive Committee of UEFA let up “ mid-November ” to its leader “ whiten “, an interview just weaken the defense the former player. Chairman of the electoral commission of FIFA, the Swiss Domenico Scala ensures, on 20 October, in the columns of Financial Times , the 2 million Swiss francs are never “ appeared “in the accounts of the Federation before the payment.
On October 26, the deadline for applications,” Platoche “sees his jelly. It is then replaced as flagship of the UEFA by its General Secretary Gianni Infantino, 45. Right arm icon since 2009, Switzerland has pledged to withdraw if his boss back in the race.
On November 24, the indictment of the investigative chamber of the ethics committee leaked to the press: the former playmaker incurs a lifetime ban. On December 11, the Court of Arbitration for Sport confirms the provisional suspension of 90 days of Platini while inviting FIFA not to extend an additional 45. On 21 December, the ax falls: Blatter and Platini are written off for eight years
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“ Platini had to capitulate , analysis Guido Tognoni, former advisor to Blatter. There is one more victim of the system put in place for forty years by Joao Havelange (president of FIFA from 1974 to 1998) and Blatter. “” Michel has long lived in denial , says the president of a European Federation. I doubt that history will end well for him. “Determined to clear his name, Platini will first attempt to retain his throne to UEFA. On 25 February, the Confederation will decide whether to hold a presidential election on May 3 “ Beyond the political crash, he may end his career, seen a connoisseur of mysteries of UEFA. You can never prove his innocence. There will be no way to prove it except the word of Blatter … “
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